Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the number of secondary level schools with special autism spectrum disorder classes; if he believes there are adequate places in these special classes for the number of children coming through the primary system with autism spectrum disorder; the steps he is taking to deal with this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18443/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.

Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.

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 also be aware that 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 communities where the need for such classes has been identified.

SENOs engage with schools annually in order to plan for, and to open, new special classes each year in order to ensure there are sufficient special class placements available at primary and post primary school level to meet demand in a given area.

Special classes within mainstream schools are intended for children who, by virtue of their level of Special Educational Needs, cannot reasonably be educated in a mainstream class setting, but who can still attend their local school in a special class with a lower pupil–teacher ratio of 6:1.5 at post primary level, and also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 SNAs for a class of 6 children.

Progress in developing this network has been significant and in addition to the special school placements there are currently over 1,000 special classes throughout the country at primary and post primary level of which 762 are for children with Autism and 194 of these classes for children with autism are at post primary level.

With regard to the requirement for post primary school places for children with autism, the NCSE, through its network of local SENOs, have been engaging with schools for 2016 - 2017 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.

The NCSE recently published a list of special classes for the 2016 -2017 school year. In total there will be 1,153 special classes available next year, which is an increase of over 100% in the number of special classes which were available in 2011, which was 548. A total of 237 of these classes will be for pupils with autism at post primary level, which represents an increase of 22% on the 2015 - 2016 academic year.

Details of all of the special classes for children with special educational needs which are attached to mainstream schools are published each year on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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150. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of the shortage of autism spectrum disorder special second level classes in County Cork; his plans to provide additional classes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18452/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with Special Educational Needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.

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.

SENOs are currently liaising with schools in Cork City and County regarding the establishment of classes for the 2016/17 school year.

The NCSE has advised that for the coming school year there will be an additional 7 new ASD classes in Cork City and County, bringing the total number of ASD classes to 41 at post primary level in mainstream schools in Cork city and County. Each post primary special class for autism has a 6:1.5 pupil-teacher ratio. A full list of special classes is available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.

The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parent of the child and the Board of Management of a school. The NCSE have advised that places are available in some of the new classes and any parent who has concerns about a place for their child for September should contact their local SENO as soon as possible for information on available places.