Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if children with autistic spectrum disorder have ready access to primary and secondary school places in County Kildare; the extent if difficulties have arisen in meeting the ongoing requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11130/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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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.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

Recent years have seen an increase in the number of SNAs from 10,575 posts in 2011 to 12,040 in June 2016. Almost 40% of all students with SNA provision are students with Autism.

Over the same period the number of ASD special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools has increased by 435, from 330 in 2011 to 765 in 2015. A further 168 ASD special classes are due to open in 2016.

The NCSE have advised that there are 56 ASD classes in County Kildare. 5 of these are Early Intervention classes for children with ASD who are not yet school of going age, 40 ASD classes are at primary school level and there are 11 ASD classes at post primary level. Each special class for autism at primary level has a 6:1 pupil teacher ratio and at post-primary level has a 6:1.5 pupil teacher ratio. These classes also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 SNAs for a class of 6 children.

The NCSE monitors and reviews the requirement for special class and has capacity to establish new special classes where necessary. SENOs are currently liaising with schools in the area referred to by the Deputy regarding the establishment of further classes for 2016/17 school year.

A full list of special classes is available at www.ncse.ie.