Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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443. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if autism spectrum disorder units are being approved for schools where there are no students with autism enrolled; the names of these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2326/16]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware my Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools which have enrolled pupils with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in order to ensure that, wherever a child is enrolled, they will have access to an appropriate education.

Children with ASD may be enrolled in a mainstream school and can attend all mainstream classes. In such cases these children will receive additional teaching support through the learning support and/or the resource teacher and, where appropriate, will receive access to Special Needs Assistance and assistive technology if required.

In respect of children with ASD who cannot be accommodated in mainstream education, they may be enrolled in special classes or special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided. Progress in developing this network has been significant and in addition to the special school placements there are over 1,000 special classes throughout the country at primary and post primary level, of which 762 are for children with Autism. Each special class for autism has a 6:1 pupil teacher ratio at primary level, and 6:1.5 at post primary level.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support students with special educational needs, including autism. It is also the role of the NCSE to make appropriate arrangements to establish special classes in schools in various geographical areas as required and where an identified need for such classes exists. In this regard, where schools indicate that they will open a special class, the SENO will sanction the establishment of this class. However, the NCSE will only allocate staffing resources once pupils are enrolled in the class, in accordance with my Department's policy.

SENOs will be engaging with schools for 2016/17 school year in order to plan for, and to open, new special classes, in order to ensure there are sufficient placements available to meet demand in an area. A full list of special classes is available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.

The NCSE has recently submitted their Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In developing this policy advice, the NCSE has consulted widely with parents, professionals and other stakeholders and interested parties while also conducting research. The policy advice is currently under consideration in my Department.

My officials will consider and report to me on any recommendations in the report which relate to the issues raised by the Deputy.