Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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355. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the average cost of establishing a new autism spectrum disorder unit or special class in a mainstream post secondary school. [34875/17]

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.

Almost 18,000 students in schools have been diagnosed with autism. My Department invests over €300m annually in providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools enabling:

- 61% of students to attend mainstream schools

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

- 13% to attend special schools.

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.

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. 

Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of special classes by over 100% from 548 in 2011 to 1,152 across the country now, of which 887 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.

The NCSE will establish an additional 145 ASD Special Classes for the 2017/18 school year increasing the number of ASD Special Classes to 1,032.

Special classes for students with ASD are staffed with a lower pupil–teacher ratio of 6:1 at primary level and 6:1.5 at post primary level. Special Classes or students with Autism also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 SNAs for a class of 6 children. The average annual cost of teaching and SNA support in a post-primary level ASD class is approx. €156K.

The following grants may be payable to newly established ASD Post Primary Special Classes

- Special class start-up grant - A grant of €6,500 is available to cover the cost of furniture and general equipment.

- Specialised furniture/equipment grant: Available for individual students who require specialised furniture/equipment.

- Loose furniture and equipment: €2,500 is available.

- Once off grant: €7,000 is available for equipment for a multi-sensory room where this is included in the overall schedule of accommodation.

- ICT - a grant of €5,000 is available per new primary classroom.

- Minor works grant: Funding is made available to all primary schools on the basis of a grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream student and €74 per student attending a special class in a mainstream school.

With regard to Capital Costs in the case of all new schools, it is general practice to include a Special Needs Unit (SNU) in the accommodation brief for new school buildings, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two classroom SNU is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom unit is provided in new post primary schools.

In the case of existing schools, where a school is not in a position to accommodate a special class within its existing accommodation, it is open to the school to submit an application to the Department for capital funding to (i) re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or (ii) to construct additional accommodation.

The cost of providing a special needs class / unit can vary depending on the accommodation solution approved and local circumstances relating to site conditions and planning permission requirements e.g. provision of new percolation system, parking and bus turning facilities etc. Costs of providing a SNU can range depending on whether it is a single SNU or a double unit with an additional 25%/30% cost depending on site/planning conditions etc. The cost of providing this accommodation is met from the Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme.