Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans currently in place for the July provision 2021; if the programme will be expanded and run for an extended period of time in recognition of the classroom time lost by children with additional needs due to Covid-19 restrictions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6060/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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A significantly expanded Summer Programme was provided in 2020 for children with the complex needs as a discrete response to Covid-19. The programme included a number of strands and options from which parents could choose, involving either in-school, or home-based supports by teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to help to prevent regression among children with SEN.

The programmes aim was to support children to reintegrate / transition into their planned education setting for the 2020/21 school year with their peers.

Over 14,000 children participated in the special education summer programmes developed by the Department including 3,881 in the school based programme, 9,716 in the home based programme and 450 families in the HSE programme.

My Department is working on developing proposals for Summer Provision 2021 which will be influenced by the current public health emergency.

These proposals will be developed based on continuous engagement and consultation with the education partners, including Parent and Disability groups.

I will make an announcement on this in due course.