Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Kildare has been refused the establishment of an ASD unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37804/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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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.

Almost 14,000 students in schools have been diagnosed with autism. The Department of Education and Skills invests over €300m annually in providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools enabling:

- 63% of students to attend mainstream schools

- 23% to attend special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, and

- 14% to attend special schools.

The Deputy will also be that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. Special classes are part of a continuum of educational provision that enables students with more complex special educational needs to be educated, in smaller class groups, within their local mainstream schools.

Special classes offer a supportive learning environment to students with ASD who are unable to access the curriculum in a mainstream class, even with support, for most or all of their school day. Special classes for students with ASD are staffed with a lower pupil–teacher ratio of 6:1 at primary level and 6:1.5 at post primary level, and also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 Ss for a class of 6 children.

Enrolment in a special class should only be considered where it has been demonstrated that a student requires the support of a special class because he/she is unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with appropriate supports.

Students enrolled in special classes should be included in mainstream classes to the greatest extent possible, in line with their abilities.

The NCSE continues to engage with schools in opening special classes where there is an identified need for special class provision.

Progress in developing this network has been significant and in addition to the special school placements there are 1,153 special classes available, which is an increase of over 100% in the number of special classes which were available in 2011, which was 548.

The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill was published on 6^thJuly 2016. The Bill contains a provision which will empower the NCSE to designate a school for a child who has no school place for reasons related to the child’s special educational needs and for the Child and Family Agency to designate a school for a child who has no school place (other than a child with special educational needs).

In line with recommendations from the NCSE in policy advices provided in 2011, it is the policy of the Department to include a Special Needs Unit in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required.  In addition, the Department may also provide capital funding to schools to establish special needs provision e.g. reconfigure existing accommodation to provide a special class where this has been approved or recommended by the NCSE.  

The NCSE recently launched guidelines for Boards of Management and Principals of Primary and Post Primary schools which provide information on setting up and organising special classes. These guidelines are available to download from.

With regard to County Kildare, the NCSE has advised that there are 942 students with ASD attending schools in the county. Of these 520 students attend mainstream schools and are accessing in-school supports including Resource teaching and S support. 322 students are attending ASD special classes, including early intervention classes. A further 100 students with ASD are placed in special schools.

I understand from the NCSE that the school referred to by the Deputy, has expressed an interest in opening a special class.

The NCSE have informed my Department that they are satisfied that there are sufficient ASD special class placements available in existing classes to meet demand in the area.

I am further advised that the NCSE wrote to the school's management in July 2016 outlining the position regarding special class placements in the area and indicated that the NCSE would contact the school in the future should the position change.