Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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250. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria for establishing a reading class unit in a primary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49268/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is a separate statutory agency, is responsible through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where a need has been identified. Applications meeting the criteria are approved by the NCSE and the NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE continues to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary, subject to the willingness of schools to open classes. The NCSE welcomes expressions of interest from schools in opening special classes to meet the demand for special class provision. In deciding on the location of a special class, SENOs take into account both the present and the future potential need for special class provision in the area, they must be satisfied that the special class is sustainable and appropriately located. SENOs liaise with relevant professionals in their area to arrive at an informed decision.

It is the policy of the Department of Education, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that pupils with additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes along with their peers, with additional supports provided as necessary. As such, the Department has not sanctioned any new special classes for children with specific learning disability (SLD) since 2011.

The Department has invested considerably in ensuring that all recognised mainstream schools have been allocated additional special education teaching resources to cater for children with special educational needs, including pupils with SLD. At the end of the current year, there will be 14,385 special education teachers and 19,169 SNAs working in primary and post-primary schools. Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers have been published on my Department’s website, at www.education.ie/en/The-Education-System/Special-Education/Guidelines-for-Primary-Schools-Supporting-Pupils-with-Special-Educational-Needs-in-Mainstream-Schools.pdf. It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching support to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance. Schools are supported in this regard by the National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS). The teaching time afforded to each individual pupil is decided and managed by schools, taking into account each child's individual learning needs.

Funding is also made available to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment such as computers and/or software to assist children with special educational needs, including children with SLDs, where relevant professionals recommend the equipment as being essential for the provision of education. Schools apply to the NCSE, through their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) for such support. SENOs make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required, in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013.

My Department, therefore, provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs, including pupils with a SLD, to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education. As such, pupils with SLD have the option of attending their local school with additional teaching supports or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school or a special school.

My Department provides for special schools and special class placements where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided, including students with dyslexia.

It is important to note though, that the majority of students with significant literacy difficulties currently receive additional teaching support from a Special Education Teacher in a mainstream class. This is provided on the basis of the individual pupil’s learning needs, identified in schools, as opposed to being based on a requirement for a child to have a diagnosis, or an assessment, of a particular disability.

Finally, the Deputy may wish to note that the inspectorate is currently working to finalise its report on the outcomes of a series of special education needs inspections in schools with special classes for children with specific learning disabilities. It is envisaged that this report will be with Special Education section for consideration by mid-October. The findings of this report will inform future policy development in this area.