John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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207. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a SNA will be approved for a person (details supplied); his plans regarding the lack of places in mainstream schools for children with autism in Kilkenny city; his further plans to provide funding and other supports to deal with this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21747/17]

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.

The Department of Education and Skills considers it essential that in assessing the need for special class placements the individual needs of children should be properly assessed to determine the appropriateness of special class provision for them.

Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. This can be due to significant difficulties in areas such as behaviour or sensory needs which have not been ameliorated, even with appropriate intervention, in mainstream.

Enrolment in an ASD 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.

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 where there is an identified need.

The NCSE continues to establish additional special classes to support children with Special Educational Needs including Autism as required. Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of such classes by over 50% from 548 in 2011 to 1153 across the country now, of which 889 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.

The NCSE, in looking to open special classes, must take into account the present and future potential need for such classes, taking particular account of the educational needs of the children concerned. The NCSE will also take account of location and sustainability in looking to establish special classes in certain areas. 

With regard to the area mentioned by the Deputy, there are currently 17 ASD special classes in Kilkenny City and County. Of these, 2 are ASD early intervention classes, 9 are primary ASD special classes and 6 are post primary ASD special classes. There are also 5 special schools in the area.

The NCSE has informed my Department that they are satisfied that there are sufficient ASD special class placements to meet existing demand in the area. The NCSE will continue to engage with schools in the Kilkenny area in relation to opening additional special classes as required.

Parents/Guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on .

The NCSE also has responsibility, through its network of local SENOs for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. Where children have significant care needs whereby they may need additional support to be able to attend school, the NCSE may make an allocation of SNA support to the school to assist that child.

The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, which is set out in Circular 0030/2014.

All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2017/18 school year by 6th April 2017. The NCSE continues to accept applications in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed. The NCSE will consider these applications and make further allocations to schools in respect of valid applications which have been received to September.

The NCSE will advise all schools of their allocations for SNA support for 2017/18 before the end of the current school year.

As the Deputy's question relates to the allocation of SNA support by the NCSE to an individual school/student, I have referred this question to the NCSE for their consideration and direct reply to the Deputy.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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208. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action he is taking to address the lack of places at primary and secondary level for students with autism in counties Carlow and Kilkenny; if he will appoint an official from his Department to assist individual families to source places or provide alternatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21749/17]

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.

My Department considers it essential that in assessing the need for special class placements the individual needs of children should be properly assessed to determine the appropriateness of special class provision for them.

Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. This can be due to significant difficulties in areas such as behaviour or sensory needs which have not been ameliorated, even with appropriate intervention, in mainstream.

Enrolment in an ASD 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 enrolling in ASD Special Classes must have a report from a relevant professional or team of professionals (for example, psychologist, speech and language therapist, psychiatrist) stating that:

- S/he has ASD

- S/he has significant learning needs that require the support of a special class setting and the reasons why this is the case.

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 where there is an identified need.

The NCSE continues to establish additional special classes to support children with Special Educational Needs including Autism as required. Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of such classes by over 50% from 548 in 2011 to 1153 across the country now, of which 889 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.

The NCSE, in looking to open special classes, must take into account the present and future potential need for such classes, taking particular account of the educational needs of the children concerned. The NCSE will also take account of location and sustainability in looking to establish special classes in certain areas. 

With regard to the areas mentioned by the Deputy, there are currently 24 ASD special classes in County Carlow. Of these, 5 are ASD early intervention classes, 11 are primary ASD special classes and 8 are post primary ASD special classes. There are also 2 special schools in County Carlow. Regarding County Kilkenny, there are currently 17 ASD special classes. 2 are ASD early intervention classes, 9 are primary ASD special classes and 6 are post primary ASD special classes. There are also 5 special schools in County Kilkenny.

The NCSE has informed my Department that they are generally satisfied that there are sufficient ASD special class placements to meet existing demand in both areas. The NCSE will continue to engage with schools in the areas concerned in relation to opening additional special classes as required.

Parents/Guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.