Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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364. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will assist with finding a school place in a special school for a child (details supplied). [36052/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for raising this matter.

As the matter raised  relates to an individual case I have so arranged to forward the details you have provided to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.

This includes additional teaching and care supports.

As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels. 

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.

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.

I am satisfied that this more joined up approach is delivering. Through this intensive intervention, we have seen over 300 special classes, providing over 1,800 new places, opened nationwide for the 2021/22 school-year.

I also acknowledge that notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.

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. 

NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes for 2022/23 and beyond. There are specific plans in place to open additional special classes and every support will be made available to progress their opening in the shortest possible timeframe with a particular focus on September next.

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

My Department is committed, in conjunction with the NCSE, to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.

I want to reassure you also that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education

While a full list of special classes and special schools is available on the NCSE website at the following links.

ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/NCSE-Special-School-Allocations-21-22-website-03-12-2021.pdf .

ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Final-2021_2022-Sp-Class-list-25_03_22.pdf .

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of mild and moderate classes sanctioned by her Department at primary level in each of the past three years and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36069/22]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of mild and moderate classes sanctioned by her Department at post-primary level in each of the past three years and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36070/22]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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367. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of autism classes sanctioned by her Department at primary level in each of the past three years and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36071/22]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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368. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of autism classes sanctioned by her Department at post-primary level in each of the past three years and to date in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36072/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 365 to 368, inclusive, together.

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.

This includes additional teaching and care supports.

As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels. 

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.

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.

I am satisfied that this more joined up approach is delivering. Through this intensive intervention, we have seen an additional 300 special classes, providing 1,800 new places, opened nationwide for the 2021/22 school-year.

I also acknowledge that notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.

The 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. 

It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school. 

The NCSE through their network of SENOs (Special Educational Needs Organisers) are currently engaged in a process of establishing new classes for the 2022/2023 school year and beyond. They are looking at local information in relation to projected demand for future special class places.

Parents seeking special class or school placements for their children are advised to contact NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes.

A full list of schools with special classes is available at the following link on the NCSE website and is updated on an ongoing basis.

Special_Classes_publication_2022_2023.pdf (ncse.ie).