Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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135. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she plans to take to cater for the increasing numbers of special needs pupils at primary level; if she has assessed the impact of the curtailment of supports for such children as a result of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23963/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I am conscious of the fact that closing schools has hugely adverse consequences at individual, family and societal level and that the effect on children with special educational needs can be even greater.This week my Department announced that expanded summer education programme for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage will take place, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure.

The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020. The programme’s aims are to support pupils to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they can move on to their planned educational placement next September along with their peers

Further details on the programmes will be published shortly on www.gov.ie/summerprovision.

In terms of staffing resources, a new model for allocating Special Education Teachers to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools. The allocations have remained in place for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years, with adjustments made over the course of the model for schools which achieved developing status, or successfully appealed on the grounds of exceptional circumstances arising in their schools. Allocations are also provided for new schools which open each year.

DES Circulars 007 and 008 2019, stated that the allocations for 2019 would remain in place for a minimum of two years, following which, revised profiled allocations would be considered for schools from September 2021. The NCSE Policy advice on which the SET allocation model is based, recommended that ‘the additional teaching supports be left in place for a two-year period. As the new model becomes embedded in the system, this may be extended to three years.’

In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion have agreed to maintain the existing Special Education Teacher Allocations for schools for the 2021/22 school year, with re-profiled allocations due to be made from September 2022.

Additional allocations will continue to be made for new schools, schools which achieve developing status, or for exceptional circumstances arising in schools, in the interim.

If a school wishes to make an exceptional needs review, they may do so at the following link:

My Department also confirmed this week that there will be no change to the model of allocation for SNAs for the 2021/22 school year.With the onset of Covid-19 and the closure of school buildings from March 2020 and the resulting disruption to schools and the system as a whole, it was decided to defer the full introduction of the Model by one year i.e. to the commencement of the 2022/23 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 and there will be scope for additionality under an exceptional review process to be delivered by the National Council for Special Education.