Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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213. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of ASD unit places in primary schools (details supplied) in Dublin 15; his plans to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30321/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department's policy is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including Autism, in mainstream school settings, unless such a placement would not be in the best interests of the child concerned, or the children with whom they will be educated.

The National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers, for the development and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special classes.

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.

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.

In order to access a special class a student must have a report from a relevant professional stating that:

- S/he has a disability in line with the designation of the special class in question and

- S/he has complex learning needs that require the support of a special class setting and the reasons why this is the case.

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

There are 37 special schools and 218 special classes attached to mainstream schools in Dublin. Of these, 18 are ASD early intervention classes, 124 are primary ASD classes and 36 are post primary ASD classes. The number of ASD special classes in Co. Dublin have increased from 66 in 2011/2012 to 178 in 2017/2018.

The NCSE has informed my Department that to date they have sanctioned 17 new Special Classes in Co. Dublin for 2018/19 school year. This process is ongoing. The NCSE is continuing to work with schools, parents, NEPS, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services for children with special educational needs in Dublin, to ensure that each child has a school placement 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 who require special class placements can access such placements in schools within their communities.

My Department has acknowledged that in recent years the establishment of special class provision in some schools and communities has been challenging.

As part of the process of planning for future provision, a number of measures have been included in the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 to provide certain powers to the NCSE to designate a school placement for a child in circumstances where a child is experiencing difficulties in securing enrolment.

The Bill also proposes powers for the Minister, in certain circumstances, to require a school to open a special class for children with special educational needs. This amendment will give the Minister the power to compel a school to open a special class or classes where the National Council for Special Education has identified a need for such provision within an area.

These proposed measures would further enhance the ability of my Department and the NCSE to plan for special class provision and to address issues in provision that may arise from time in time at local levels.

Guidelines for Boards of Management and Principals of Primary and Post Primary schools contain information on setting up and organising special classes, including information on resources which may be provided to schools to establish special classes are available to download from www.ncse.ie.