Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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271. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria and application process for an autistic unit in a primary school with vacant class rooms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24685/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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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.

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 and are for students who have a recommendation for a special class placement in their professional reports.

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

There are currently 1,152 special classes nationally, which is an increase of over 100% on the number available in 2011. Of these, 126 are ASD early intervention classes, 526 are primary ASD classes and 236 are post-primary ASD classes. The remainder are non-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.

The NCSE has informed my Department that it intends to establish an additional 162 ASD Special Classes for the 2017/18 school year increasing the number of ASD Special Classes by 18% from 888 to 1,050. This will include 17 new ASD early intervention classes, 100 new primary ASD classes and 45 new post-primary ASD classes.

My Department will continue to support the NCSE in opening ASD special classes in areas where there is an identified need.