Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

371. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has engaged and will engage with a school (details supplied) on the matter of school enrolments and pupil numbers in September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57279/22]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

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

For 2022, my Department will spend in excess of €2.3 billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.

For 2023, this spend will be substantially increased by over 10%, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

In relation to the accommodation available to the school referenced by the Deputy, a new building for the school opened in 2021 and was designed for 20 classroom spaces with additional ancillary and specialist accommodation. I understand that all classroom spaces are occupied. The school has also since designated two further classroom spaces within the school building, thus providing 22 classroom spaces therein.

The school is located on a campus with a Gaelscoil and there is surplus classroom capacity in the Gaelscoil. Two classrooms in the Gaelscoil have been made available to the school and my Department has provided grant aid for external gate and external steps to facilitate access to these two classrooms. The school therefore now has a total of 24 classroom spaces in operation.

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

The NCSE have advised my Department that the local SENO is currently working with this special school and with other primary schools in the area in the context of ensuring that a sufficient number of special class and special school places are available for the 2023/24 school year.

The local SENO remains available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at ncse.ie/regional-servic.