Written answers

Thursday, 1 July 2021

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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98. 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. [35168/21]

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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My Department will continue to prioritise investment in special education, with over €2 Billion due to be spent on special education this year, in supporting the additional learning needs of pupils in our schools.

A package of nearly €650 million has been provided to support the reopening of schools. This includes funding for PPE, additional teaching posts, sanitiser, enhanced cleaning, and also funding so that schools could employ replacement teachers, SNAs and administrative staff.

It is acknowledged that the closure of schools for extended periods on two separate occasions, over the past two years, due to COVID restrictions, has meant that this has been a very difficult period for our young people and students.

These difficulties were often even more pronounced for students who have disabilities, or special educational needs, who often found it harder to fully participate with remote education.

It is for this reason that Government, confirmed that special education should be a priority as part of school reopening earlier this year with special schools and special classes being prioritised for the earliest stages of school reopening.

In addition to prioritising pupils with special educational needs to return to school, my Department has also provided for a range of measures to support such pupils while out of school.

This included measures to support the provision of teaching support during the school closure period, a supplementary education scheme, and an enhanced summer education programme, which will take place this year.

Schools were also provided with funding as part of the digital strategy and in the two tranches of funding totalling €100m in 2020 were advised to prioritise supporting the purchase of devices for students who may not have access to devices for remote learning.

As the educational environment returns to normality, there will be opportunities to fully reflect on the impact of school closures on children

There is currently some Irish and international research available on the impact of the period of school closures on students.

Understandably, much of this research, focuses on the impact on students with special educational needs and those most at risk of educational disadvantage.

Acknowledging that this is also likely to be the case in this country, my officials are working to consider how best to support schools and students as they return to school in September for the coming school year 2021/22.

Further research will be also be required in Ireland to measure the full extent of the impact that educational disruption, has had on children.

It will also need to consider which pupils have been most effected, whether the effects are temporary, or long term, and as to what measures might best alleviate or address this impact.

Further details will be provided in relation to any proposals to mitigate against lost learning time, in the coming weeks, once these considerations have been concluded.

However, it is also important to note that for the coming school year there will be over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream schools, who will support class teachers to address the special educational needs and learning needs of pupils who attend mainstream schools.

This year we are also providing for two new special schools and 269 new special classes.

For the 2021/22 school year we will have a total of 2118 special classes, which is the largest number of special classes that we have ever had, and compares to 548 classes available in 2011.

18,000 Special Needs Assistants will be available to support the care needs of pupils with special educational needs in our schools.

My Department will continue to prioritise investment in special education, with over €2 Billion due to be spent on special education this year, in supporting the additional learning needs of pupils in our schools.

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