Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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228. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of autistic and other special needs teaching places and that they are available in sufficient numbers to meet the requirements in primary and second level schools in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22663/18]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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229. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of autistic and other special needs teaching places, are available in sufficient numbers to meet the requirements in primary and second level schools throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22664/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.

In 2018, in the region of €1.75 billion will be invested in Special Education, nearly one fifth of the overall Education budget, and up 43% since 2011.

This funding includes provision for over 13,400 Special Education Teaching posts in mainstream primary and post primary schools, providing additional teaching support to pupils with special educational needs; and 1,304 special classes in 2017/18 school year with an additional 145 new Special Classes to open for the 2018/19 school year. This compares to 548 special classes in 2011.

1,048 of the 1,304 special classes cater for students diagnosed with ASD, compared to 330 ASD classes in 2011. This number will increase to 1,180 for 2018/19 school year.

My Department's policy aims to ensure 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.

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.

Other children may have such complex needs that the recommendation in their professional reports state that they are best placed in a special school.

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.

There are currently 4 special schools and 70 special classes in the County referred to the Deputy, including 62 ASD special classes, with 5 new ASD classes opening in September 2018.

The NCSE continues to progress the planning process to ensure that all students in with Special Educational Needs can access school placements appropriate to their needs for the 2018/19 school year and beyond.

My Department continues to work with the NCSE to ensure that there is appropriate planning in place to ensure that all children in Kildare who will require special class placements can access such placements in schools within their communities.

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 unit 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 re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or to construct additional accommodation.