Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the model of allocation being used for special needs assistant allocation for the academic year 2021-2022; when her Department will be publishing the allocations for the coming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24882/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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In December 2019, Government approved the national roll out of a new frontloading model for the allocation of SNAs support to primary and post-primary schools for students in mainstream classes, as part of the phased roll out of the School Inclusion Model (SIM).

In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for Special Needs Assistants for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.

The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll out of the new allocation model which had been planned for earlier this year.

The training and workshops are designed to help school leaders and teachers in their in-school planning for the new model and their engagement with parents. These sessions will now be rescheduled by the NCSE to take place during the 2021/22 school year.

SNA allocations for 2021/22 school year will be based on the actual number of SNAs employed by a school on 30 April 2021 and the allocation on that date will be rolled over into 2021/22. No school will receive a reduced allocation.

As in previous years, there will be provision for schools to apply to the NCSE for additionality where exceptional circumstances give rise to new care needs that cannot be catered for within existing allocations.

My Department will advise schools of the arrangements which will apply regarding this process shortly.

SNA allocations for 2021/22 will be published later this month as in previous years.

SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional special education teacher hours will be allocated to a school (details supplied) given that her Department previously recognised the need for increased hours and the fact that the number of pupils attending the school has increased further since that recognition. [24893/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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A new model for allocating Special Education Teachers to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools.

The allocation model, is designed to distribute the total available level of special educational needs teachers across the school system, based on the relative need of each school, as evidenced by a number of key indicators.

The allocations were updated for schools with effect from September 2019, with limited readjustments being applied for at that time.

When the model was updated with effect from September 2019, a graduated adjustment was applied which meant that a portion of the total adjustments which the re-profiled model would have provided for, was applied to schools. Gains and losses which would have occurred were capped.

For schools which would have gained or lost over 10 special education teaching hours, these gains and losses were capped at 20% of the adjustment which would otherwise have occurred.

The allocation for the school referred to by the Deputy was made on this basis, with additional allocation being made in accordance with the reallocation criteria which was applicable at that time. The school has therefore received its correct allocation, based on this criteria.

There are now over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream primary and post primary schools.

This represents an increase of 40% in the total number of special education teachers allocated to schools since 2011, at which time 9740 teachers were allocated.

For the coming school year, in order to minimise disruption and upheaval for schools as much as possible in light of Covid-19, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the existing Special Education Teacher Allocations for schools will be maintained for the 2021/22 school year, with re-profiled allocations now due to be made from September 2022.

Additional allocations will continue to be made for new schools, schools which achieve developing status, and for exceptional circumstances.

Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being taken by her Department to incentivise persons to pursue a career in special educational needs and measures being taken to retain current staff in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25084/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The state will invest approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget, in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs next year. This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which time €1.247 billion per annum was provided.

Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased by almost 235%, from 548 to 1,836 for the 2020/2021 school year. There are now 1,570 special classes in place: 135 Early Intervention, 1,000 primary and 435 post-primary autism special classes. This is an increase of 9% at primary level and 74% at post-primary compared to 2017. Budget 2021 provided for an additional 235 special class teachers in 2021.

Special education offers huge opportunities for teaching graduates and other with suitable qualifications for SNA posts. The numbers of teacher in special education and special needs assistants (SNAs) are at unprecedented levels in 2021. Working in special education providing some of the most vulnerable children in society with an education is a very worthwhile career. My Department is not aware of evidence indicating difficulty in filling the new teacher or SNA posts coming on stream.

The SNA scheme provides mainstream primary, post primary and special schools with additional adult support staff to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs to attend school.

SNAs are recruited specifically to assist schools in providing the necessary non–teaching services to pupils with additional and significant care needs. The role of the SNA is to support the classroom teacher and special education teachers, and to assist in the care needs of pupils with disabilities in an educational context.

Teachers and SNAs work across the full special education continuum spanning, mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.

There are currently over 17,000 SNA posts allocated to primary, post primary and special schools. Budget 2021 provided an additional 990 Special Needs Assistants. There will be over 18,000 SNA posts by the end of 2021 which is an increase of 70% since 2011.

In addition to mainstream class teachers, there are 13,620 special education teachers support the mainstream class teacher by providing additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in schools.

The appointment of teachers and SNAs is a matter for the individual school authority. Terms and conditions including salary are agreed centrally.

All initial teacher education in Ireland that leads to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council whose role is to promote and regulate professional standards in teaching.

There are extensive professional development and other supports available for teachers working in a special education environment.

The NCSE provides regular continual professional development for teachers to enhance the quality of learning and teaching of students with SEN.

A new National Training Programme for SNAs was introduced in January 2021 with an initial cohort of 500 SNAs, which was oversubscribed. In total, there are 3,500 places available on the programme over the next four years.

The Department provides enhanced capitation levels for special schools and special classes. Each facility is dedicated to a particular disability group and each operates at a specially reduced pupil teacher ratio.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional ASD units will be provided for schools in north County Dublin. [25117/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. The Department of Education will spend approximately €2 Billion or over 20% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special education placements.

NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and special school places nationally, to meet identified need. This process is ongoing.

It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school.

Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.

Through better planning at both national and local level, it is my objective that specialist education places should come on stream to meet emerging demand on a timely basis. However, the active collaboration of school communities is essential in this regard.

Through ongoing consultation at local level the NCSE is aware of those parents whose children will be seeking placement for the 2021/22 academic year, including mainstream placement with appropriate support, special class placement, Early Intervention and special school placement. The NCSE continues to work at local level to identify any and all relevant suitable placements.

The NCSE is working with a significant number of schools in the county to encourage and support the opening of new special classes at all levels. The NCSE has specific plans in place to open a number of additional classes in schools in North Dublin.

I can also reassure the Deputy that the local SENOs continue to be available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs.