James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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181. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the refusal of funding for an ASD unit in a school (details supplied); if he will grant funding in view of the demand for the unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25523/17]

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.

Most students with ASD can access the curriculum in a mainstream class for most or all of their day/week.

It is the policy of this Department that these students should be given every opportunity to achieve in mainstream settings and the Department provides a range of in-school supports including Resource teaching and SNA support to enable them to do so.

Almost 18,000 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

- 26% to attend special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, and

- 11% to attend special schools.

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 has informed the Department of Educational and Skills that, in general, they are satisfied that there are sufficient ASD special classes placements to meet existing demand in the Kildare area for the forthcoming school year.

There are currently 59 ASD special classes in the Kildare area, including 6 Early Intervention classes, 41 primary ASD classes and 12 post primary ASD 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 not currently identified the need to establish an ASD special class in the area referred to by the Deputy. The NCSE will continue to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in the Kildare area. 

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