Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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139. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which special needs school places are readily available at primary and second level throughout the country at appropriate locations to ensure the availability of such places within reason for children seeking the facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52308/17]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which facilities for children with autism or Asperger's syndrome continue to remain available and accessible at primary and second level throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52310/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 139 and 141 together.

It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), 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 National Council for Special Education (NCSE) policy advice on Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (2016) found that Students are generally well supported in schools with appropriate curriculum; extensive teacher and SNA supports; improving range of educational placements supported by improved accommodation and equipment; improved teacher knowledge and understanding and a generally good standard of provision at primary and post primary levels.

The NCSE policy advice noted that ASD is a spectrum condition, so some students with ASD may require little support in school and are relatively independent in their learning, while others require significant levels of support. 

The NCSE Policy Advice also states that International Research findings suggest that most students with ASD should be considered for inclusion in mainstream education with their peers, where inclusion is well-planned and well-resourced.

Decisions about placement should be based on individual needs and take into account a number of factors including parental wishes, availability of evidence-based treatments and well-trained staff and individual factors such as targets for intervention and management of behaviours.

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.

Others may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school.

There is therefore not one preferred educational environment for

children with ASD, rather there is a model which takes into account the assessed educational needs of individual pupils.

The 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 class and special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.

The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year, and where special provision is required it is planned and established to meet that need.

Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of special classes by over 100% from 548 in 2011 to 1,302 for the 2017/18 school year. 1,042 of these are ASD special classes of which 151 are being newly established for this school year.

125 special schools also provide specialist education for those students with complex special educational needs, including students diagnosed with ASD. The number of students attending special schools has increased by 150 on average each year over the last 4-5 years, increasing from 6,848 in 2011/12 to 7,750 in 2016/17, an increase of 13%.

My Department continues to work with the NCSE to ensure that there is appropriate planning in place to ensure that all children who require special class or special school placements can access such placements. 

Parents/guardians of children with special needs who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) as soon as possible for information on available places. The local SENO contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.