Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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436. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students with complex needs that is required in a catchment area for her to permit the establishment of a special school; the size of that catchment area; and the process by which the need for such a school is determined by her Department. [28142/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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On an ongoing basis the NCSE collects data on children without an appropriate school placement, based on information provided by parents/ guardians. For planning purposes a child without an appropriate school placement is one who has a professional report recommending a special class or special school, where the child’s parent/guardian wishes to enrol their child in a special class or special school in line with that report, but where no placement is available.

Where local information indicates the number of special school places projected to be available (either through normal leavers/joiners process or via expansion) are less that what is required, the NCSE informs the Department.

Catchment areas for special schools vary depending on location in the country and the category of complex learning needs catered for by the school. Some schools only cater for 1 or 2 categories where other special schools would enrol all children in an area whose complex needs require the support of a special school.

The Deputy will be aware of increased special school provision generally with two new special schools opened in Carrigaline and Crumlin in the current school-year and further expansion planned in 2022/23 which Minister Foley and I were pleased to announce in March.

This significant announcement will provide for the establishment of a new special school in Cork and increased capacity in existing special schools in Cork and Dublin to meet the needs of children and young people.

I am delighted to have secured agreement for the opening of a new special school in Rochestown for the benefit of students and families with additional needs in Cork, as well as provision of new special school places and buildings in Dublin. I also welcome the Memorandum of Understanding with the Spiritan Order which marks the first time that schools such as these will be part of the provision of special education in Ireland, without barriers to entry for those who need a place.

This is a much-needed development which will help to meet the demand for special school places in these areas.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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437. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students with addresses in Cork South West that are traveling to special schools or schools with special units in Cork city. [28143/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. 

The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.

Bus Éireann have informed the Department there are approximately 40 pupils travelling on transport from the South West/West area of Cork to various special schools or schools with special classes in Cork City.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. NCSE is aware of an identified need for additional special classes for students with autism at primary and post primary levels in the South West Cork area.

Currently, a network of 39 primary school special classes, including 4 Early Intervention classes and 18 post primary special classes provide 342 specialist placements for students with autism in South-West Cork, 7 of which were newly established for the 2021/2022 school year.

Through ongoing consultation with schools and parents at local level, the NCSE is aware of students who are seeking special education placements for the 22/23 academic year.

Through their network of SENOs, NCSE is currently engaging with 9 primary and 5 post primary schools in the general South West Cork area regarding the establishment of additional special classes for 2022/23 and beyond. As the availability of specialist places continue to increase throughout the country, it would be expected that this would reduce the travelling distances required of students and the resulting stress caused.  

It is open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class. 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.

Care is taken to minimise the amount of travel for students but I am aware that it is not always possible to secure a suitable placement in a local school and this is an issue of concern. Occasionally, the specialist nature of the placement involved requires the child to travel some distance. 

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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438. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her engagement with parents' groups, disability persons’ organisations and advocacy organisations for people with disabilities concerning the development of five special education centres in Dublin. [28144/22]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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439. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the pedagogical evidence concerning the development of five special education centres in Dublin. [28145/22]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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440. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her response to criticism from an organisation (details supplied) of her plan to develop five special education centres in Dublin [28146/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 438, 439 and 440 together.

Special Education has been prioritised by Government in recent years.

This year, the Department of Education 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.

This represents an increase of over 60% in total expenditure, since 2011.

This will bring the total number of Special Education Teachers in the mainstream school system to 14,385 in 2022, an increase of 48% since 2011 when 10,575 were funded.

An additional 380 teachers are also being provided to support students to be enrolled in new special classes and new special schools for the 2022/2023 school year.

Over 1,700 additional places in 287 new special classes will become available in 2022. Since 2011, the number of special classes has increased by 386%. Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased from 548 to 2,148 for the 2021/2022 school year.

Provision has been made for 19,169 SNAs by the end of 2022, which will represent an increase of 81% since 2011.

My Department and the NCSE are working closely to maximise the number of new special classes that can be established in Dublin for the start of 2022/23 school year.

As an interim measure and to provide additional educational supports to those children awaiting a special class placement the Department of Education is considering a draft proposal to open a number of temporary special education centres in Dublin across strategic locations in close co-operation with the Education and Training Boards in Dublin (City of Dublin ETB and Dublin Dun Laoghaire ETB).

This draft proposal is very much a temporary option for those children who are awaiting a placement in a special class in a mainstream school. It is envisaged that this draft proposal, which would be voluntary for parents/guardians and children could present a more suitable option than Home Tuition for some children as they await a special class placement. Many of these families are having difficulties in securing a tutor for this work. Families would now have access to an alternative to Home Tuition providing them with

- Access to fully qualified teachers removing the burden of sourcing an appropriately qualified home tutor

- An opportunity for their child(ren) to interact with their peers and access education in a school/classroom environment which is ‘out-of-home’

- Integration opportunities, where possible, on a case by case basis.

It is envisaged that these centres would follow the standard school day and school year. It is intended that the Centres will be located to facilitate engagement with local schools with a view to optimising integration opportunities for children in local schools. Integration and transition arrangements for local schools and the SEN Centres will be developed by the NCSE in conjunction with the Inspectorate and NEPs. These arrangements will be kept under continuing review by the ETBs, the Department and the NCSE.

The Centres would also be located in areas where additional special class provision is due to come on stream as various building projects progress.

I must highlight that this proposal is very much at an early stage and further significant work is required to progress the proposal and further work is required in relation to engaging with key stakeholders and advocacy groups on the draft proposal. A further meeting with advocacy groups on the draft proposal is scheduled for later this week.

Families can be assured that the Department and NCSE remain committed to opening special classes as quickly as possible and this proposal is offered as a child and family centred interim solution.

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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441. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of complaints received by the National Council for Special Education in 2021; the number pertaining to the ability to contact Special Educational Needs Organisers or engagement with same generally; if she will provide a breakdown of the data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28147/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is a statutory body established under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004. It was set up to improve the delivery of education services to persons with special educational needs arising from disabilities, with particular emphasis on children.

NCSE has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide in line with my Department's policies.

NCSE has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements. 

Over the last two years, my Department and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school-year.

As the Deputy’s question relates to the NCSE, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.