Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to parliamentary question No. 188 of 9 May 2017, if he has received assurances that at least one of the second level schools in Carrigaline, County Cork, will accept new first year students into their ASD programme for the 2017/18 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29293/17]

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.

Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of such classes by over 100% from 548 in 2011 to 1152 at present. The NCSE has informed my Department that it intends to establish an additional 174 Special Classes for the 2017/18 school year which will bring the total number of Special Classes available across the country to 1326.

With regard to ASD Post Primary provision in the Carrigaline area, the NCSE has informed my Department that there will be 4 ASD Post Primary classes, including 1 newly established class, for the forthcoming school year.

The NCSE has confirmed that first year students have enrolled into these classes and that they are satisfied that there are sufficient placements to meet existing demand in Carrialgailne.

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.