Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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338. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the growing lack of secondary school places in south County Kildare; her plans to address this problem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56951/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas.

Where capacity issues arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school, they are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

The true extent of any capacity issue will only become known following discussion with the relevant school authorities.

Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions. This engagement with Patrons is ongoing and is focussed on ensuring that the start of the 2022/23 school year operates as smoothly as possible for all schools and their students.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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339. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondary school places available for the school year commencing 2022; the number of those that are special school places in an ASD unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56952/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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It is my belief that children with special educational needs should receive their education in placements which are appropriate to their needs alongside their peers wherever possible unless such an approach would be inconsistent with the best interests of the individual child or other children in the school.

This approach is consistent with the provisions of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004.

My Department's policy is therefore to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. The majority of children with special needs attend mainstream education with additional supports

This policy is supported by significant investment by this Government. Next year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs.

Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased by almost 386% from 548 to 2,118 for the 2021/2022 school year. Of these 594 special classes are in post primary schools.

Budget 2022 will provide for over 980 new teacher and 1,165 new SNAs posts for allocation to schools next year.

The 980 new teacher posts is broken down as follows:

- 620 of the new posts will provide additional support for children attending mainstream classes including new and expanding schools.

- 360 posts will facilitate the opening of 287 new special classes providing over 1,700 new places in 2022 and 140 new special school places.

Only where it has been assessed that the child is unable to be supported in mainstream education, are special class placements or special school placements recommended and provided for.

It is therefore not the case that special educational placements are required to support all children with special educational needs, nor is it intended that this should be the case.

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.

Through ongoing consultation with schools and parents at local level the NCSE is aware of students who will be seeking placement for the 22/23 academic year. I should also clarify that the NCSE does not maintain waiting lists for schools. Boards of management of individual schools are responsible for such enrolment matters.

However, the NCSE, through its local network of SENOs (Special Educational Needs Organisers), offers advice and support to parents on the possible placement options available to their child, including mainstream placement with appropriate support, special class placement and special school placement.

All placements are supported with additional resources where required for those students with special educational needs.

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

My Department works in close collaboration with the NCSE to ensure that the necessary provision is put in place on a timely basis throughout the country.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact their local SENO so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes.

Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
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340. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of meetings she or her officials have had with school principals and or boards of management in south County Kildare regarding the lack and provision of secondary school places. [56953/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in a number of school planning areas including the school planning area referred to by the Deputy.

However, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

My Department is working to establish the true extent of any capacity issues through ongoing discussions with the relevant school authorities. In that context, similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including those of schools in south County Kildare, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate further action to that already in train. The Deputy will appreciate that my Department typically engages with patron bodies in the first instance, rather than principals or Boards of Management, as patrons hold an important role in the overall education system.

Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands. It is expected that the enrolment pressures in this, and other areas will reduce in the short-term as such planned additional capacity comes on stream and as demographic demand moves past its peak.

The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, including projects in the school planning areas in question, may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.

The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, including accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, if required, for schools where an additional enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of schools listed on this programme (the Additional Accommodation Scheme) can be found on my Department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is also updated regularly.

A number of projects to deliver additional post primary shcool capacity in the south County Kildare area are planned or underway and a summary of these is below:

Curragh Post Primary School - Roll number 70660O - Site Acquisition stage.

It is intended that significant additional capacity to address demand will be provided by the planned new 1000 pupil building for the existing Curragh post primary school. This is intended to provide capacity to cater for demand arising in the Kildare School planning area as well as that in the Newbridge and Curragh SPAs. Officials in the Department are currently in advanced negotiation with a landowner, in regard to the proposed acquisition of a site deemed suitable for the replacement Curragh post primary school. This negotiation is ongoing, in line with our comprehensive site selection criteria, technical consideration and input from Kildare County Council.

St Conleth's Community College - Roll number 70680U - Patron has agreed to enrol an additional 1st year class for the 2021/22 school year and the expansion of the school to cater for a total capacity of 1,000 pupils.

Cross & Passion College - Roll number 61690W - Stage 1. The accommodation brief for the major project for Cross and Passion College, Kilcullen has also been increased to cater for a 1,000 pupil school to provide for increased demographic growth