Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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245. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the expenditure of the over €2 billion in funding for special education as part of Budget 2021; and the way this funding is replacing the one size fits all approach. [35412/21]

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.

This year, approximately €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs.

The bulk of this spending will be to provide for special education teachers, SNAs and special class and school places, which are now at unprecedented levels.

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. We will have a total of 2,118 special classes in 2021/22, 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.

Funding is also provided for 124 special schools.

The funding for special education support also provides for:

- An assistive technology scheme to provide for assistive technology supports and equipment for children with special educational needs

- Special school transport arrangements for children who need additional transport provision or additional transport assistance such as bus escorts.

- Teacher training and continuing professional development in the area of special education.

- Enhanced capitation levels for special schools and special classes.

- Modification of school buildings to assist with access and new build provisions to ensure inclusive settings in newly built schools.

- The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) including a new Regional Support Service within the NCSE to support the inclusion of children with special educational needs in schools.

- A Home Tuition scheme to provide for the education of children with special educational needs who are awaiting school placement and an extended school year scheme.

My Department will continue to prioritise investment in special education and in supporting the additional learning needs of pupils in our schools.