Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of implementing the National Council for Special Education’s policy advice on educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders recommendation to extend the enhanced level of capitation grant to post-primary schools with special classes on the same basis as primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42641/19]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the recommendations of the National Council for Special Education’s policy advice on educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders which have not yet been implemented; the timescale for implementation of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42642/19]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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106. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the dates in 2018 and 2019 in which the implementation group for the National Council for Special Education’s policy advice on educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders has met; and when it is next planned for this group to meet. [42643/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 to 106, inclusive, together.

Enabling children with Special Educational Needs including Autism to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for Government.

There is now unprecedented investment in special education. The Government is spending nearly one euro in every five of the education budget on special education – about €1.9 billion in 2019. 

We have significantly increased the availability of specialist placements for children with special educational needs as well as bringing more and more children into mainstream education.

Budget 2020 provides for an additional 1,064 SNA posts and 400 newe special education teacher posts to cater for new need next year.

The National Council for Special Education’s Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders was published in July 2016.  The report acknowledges that there has been substantial investment in the education of students with autism over the 14 years since the publication of the last major report on autism in 2001.  The report set out 11 recommendations for further improvement and outlines a range of associated actions to give effect to its recommendations.

My Department has convened an Implementation Group with representatives of the NCSE, NEPS, the Inspectorate and external representatives to ensure that the Report’s recommendations are fully and appropriately considered and that a timetable for implementation is prepared. 

The group met on three occasions in 2018 and twice to date in 2019 with a further meeting due to be scheduled in the coming weeks. There are further sub-groups continuing to work and research options regarding the implementation of some of the outstanding recommendations.  The work of the Implementation Group is ongoing. 

A number of the recommendations in relation to school aged provision have been substantially implemented, including those on the development of additional primary and post primary provision, admissions to schools, operating of special classes, additional release days for teaching principals and the use of evidence-informed interventions.

Work is continuing on recommendations relating to on developing teacher knowledge, skills and understanding. My Department intends to publish comprehensive inter agency Good Practice Guidelines on the education of children with Autism in 2020. 

It is expected that recommendations will be made shortly concerning a revised July provision scheme which would be implemented next year at the earliest.  Before any changes are made to the July provision scheme, there will be consultations with stakeholders.

The NCSE estimated that implementing the school based recommendations in the report would cost an additional €20m per annum. 

Capitation funding, is intended to contribute towards the cost of heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. My Department recognises the need to improve capitation funding for schools. Capitation grants are the main funding mechanism for schools to enable them meet their day to day running costs. The levels of capitation grants both primary and post primarty are examined annually as part of the estimates process and in the light of available resources.

Budget 2019 provided for a 5% increase in Capitation funding for primary and post primary schools effective from the start of the 2019/20 school year. Over the course of the school year 2019/20, an additional €10 million will be allocated to primary and post primary schools, of which €4 million will be allocated in 2019.

Budget 2020 provided that schools capitation for all schools will increase by a further 2.5% from September 2020. Enhanced capitation rates will increase by 7.5% from September 2020.

It should be noted that it is extremely difficult to make valid comparisons between the levels of grants paid and the actual costs of running schools at primary and post primary levels.  Primary ASD special classes receive an enhanced capitation grants of €849 per student enrolled inclusive of the mainstream capitation rate (currently €179 per students). Post Primary ASD special classes do not receive enhanced capitation.  However, the Post Primary mainstream capitation rate is €309 per student.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position with regard to the provision of additional places and classrooms for children with special needs in which a new building for an existing school is being provided under the capital programme and additional accommodation schemes; if new places and classrooms for children with special needs must be provided or planned in the location such a project is undertaken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42644/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that in the case of all new schools as well as replacement schools, it is general practice to include a Special Education Needs Base (SEN Base) in the accommodation brief, unless local circumstances indicate that it will not be required. Typically, a two classroom SEN Base is provided in new primary schools and a two or four classroom SEN Base is provided in new post primary schools. 

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE). This includes the establishment of special class and special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.

In deciding where to establish a special class in an area, the NCSE take account of the current and projected demand and the available school accommodation both current and planned.  The Council ensures that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.

When the NCSE sanction a special class in a school, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class and/or to construct additional accommodation.  Similarly, where special schools wish to expand provision, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to accommodate additional placements.

Details of all special classes for children with special educational needs are available on www.ncse.ie.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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108. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a child currently has access to a SNA but is told that reassessment is required to continue to qualify for access, but the assessments are not within six months due to resource and staff shortages, the way in which the child is to be supported in school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42653/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.  

The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed.  

It is my Department's policy that every child assessed as requiring SNA support will have access to such support.

In considering applications for SNA support for individual pupils, the NCSE take account of the pupils' needs and consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupils from its current level of resources.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource.

SNA allocations to all schools can change from year to year as children with care needs leave the school, as new children with care needs enrol in a school and as children develop more independent living skills and their care needs diminish over time.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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109. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools that are part of the school inclusion model, that is, the 75 schools in counties Kildare, Wicklow and south County Dublin areas currently participating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42654/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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On 27 March I announced the trialling of the School Inclusion Model, a new model of support for students with special educational and additional care needs, which is being piloted in 75 schools in the Kildare/Wicklow/South Dublin region in the current school year. 

The School Inclusion Model aims to build schools’ capacity and to provide the right supports at the right time for students with additional needs. 

The pilot also provides an opportunity for review and evaluation of proposals to ensure we are providing the most effective and efficient service to those requiring additional support.  

The following is a list of the schools who are participating in the Pilot.