Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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203. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in the Dublin 8 and 10 areas diagnosed with a need for an ASD unit placement for primary school through assessments of needs. [17743/19]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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204. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in the Dublin 6, 6W and 12 areas diagnosed with a need for an ASD unit placement for primary school through assessments of needs. [17745/19]

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent)
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206. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 156 of 12 March 2019, if he will provide a list of the schools (details supplied). [17750/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 203, 204 and 206 together.

My Department does not hold information in relation to the number of children with a recommendation for ASD specific placements.

The National Council for Special education (NCSE), an independent agency of my Department, is responsible for planning, coordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Council ensures that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.

The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year, and where special class provision, is required, it is planned and established to meet that need. As the Deputy's question relates to a particular area I have arranged for the question to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

Since 2011, the number of ASD special classes has increased by over 260% from 330 in 2011 to 1,196 across the country now. Details of all special classes for children with special educational needs are available by county on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie. As previously advised there are 15 ASD classes in the areas referred to by the Deputy: 2 Early Intervention classes, 8 Primary ASD classes and 5 Post-primary ASD classes.

I have set out in the table the list of these classes for the Deputy's ease of reference.

Table 1: ASD Special Classes D6W D12