Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school places in mainstream schools that have been made available to accommodate children with special needs nationally and for the school years 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017/-8, by county, in tabular form; the adequacy of the provisions of these additional school places for children with special needs in relation to demand both nationally for the same period, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53291/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs 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.

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.

Special classes are sanctioned in mainstream schools for students with special educational needs arising from certain disabilities.

Enrolment in a 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.

In order to access a special class a student 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 a disability (in line with the designation of the special class in question) and

- S/he has complex or severe 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 organising and planning education provision for children with Special Educational Needs and the establishment of special class and special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.

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 130% from 548 in 2011 to 1,302 for the 2017/18 school year.

The number of students in special classes has almost doubled from 3,286 in 2011 to 6,392 in the 2016/17 school year. This reflects the priority which the Government has put on helping children with Special Educational Needs to achieve their potential.

While it is not always possible to ensure that a special class placement will be available in a child’s local school, the NCSE has informed my Department that, in general, they are satisfied that sufficient special class placements were/are available to meet demand in the years referenced by the Deputy.

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.

Statistics in relation to special classes, including those sought by the Deputy, are available on the NCSE website, www.ncse.ie.