Dessie Ellis (Dublin North West, Sinn Fein)
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127. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools in the Dublin north-west area that have special autism units to facilitate children with autism; and the number of children that have been diagnosed with autism in the north west area of Dublin. [38316/16]

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.

The NCSE's Autism Policy Advice report noted that there were almost 14,000 students diagnosed with autism in schools in 2014.  The NCSE's Policy Advice on Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in Schools which was published on 15th July 2016 indicates a national ASD prevalence rate of 1.55% or 1 in every 65 students. 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 aware 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.

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. This includes 127 ASD early intervention classes, 525 primary ASD classes and 237 post-primary ASD classes, which represents an increase of approx. 16% on 2015/16 classes for children with autism.

Special class for students with ASD are staffed with a lower pupil–teacher ratio of 6:1 at primary level, and also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 SNAs for a class of 6 children.

With regard to Co. Dublin (city and county), the NCSE has advised that there 119 ASD special classes attached to mainstream primary schools of which 19 are ASD Early Intervention classes.

The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill was published on 6th July 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. re-configure 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 fromwww.ncse.ie.

The NCSE has advised the Department that information in relation to the specific geographical areas of Dublin referred to by Deputy is not readily available.