Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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467. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on matters raised in correspondence in relation to access to a reading class (details supplied). [25631/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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A new model for allocating special education teachers (SETs) to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools.  Over 13,600 SETs are currently provided to mainstream schools to support the learning needs of pupils who have additional needs in literacy, including those arising from specific learning difficulties.

It is the policy of my Department, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that pupils with such additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes with additional provision made by a special education teacher.

In September 2018, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was requested to develop Policy Advice on Education Provision in Special Classes and Special Schools to examine whether placement in specialist settings brings about improved educational outcomes and experiences, relative to their ability, for students with special educational needs.

This Policy Advice is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. 

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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468. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport was provided to all children taking part in schools-based summer provision programmes in 2020. [25635/21]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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469. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount spent on transport costs for the summer provision programme 2020. [25636/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 468 and 469 together.

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.

With regard to transport arrangements for the Summer Programme 2020, as the provision of transport was not possible due to Covid 19 restrictions at that time, my Department committed to providing grant funding to support families with the cost of transport arrangements for those children who were eligible for school transport and who were approved to participate in the school based Summer Programme.

School Transport Section has processed payment of these grants to all eligible families for which all required details had been received. To date, payment has been made to over 900 families at a cost of over €400,000. School Transport Section is continuing to process payments of these grants to families who are eligible as information is received.