Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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449. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of what constitutes an education resource/support for a child with special educational needs; to detail how a child with SEN can access each of these specific resources/supports; to detail the appropriate process by which a child with SEN is assessed for their entitlement to each of these specific resources/supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4610/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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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 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

A continuum of provision is available for children with additional needs, with the vast majority of children with additional needs being supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where necessary additional special education teacher and SNA supports are available.

For children with more complex needs, specialist education support is available through a special class or special school placement. Children require professional supports to access a special class or special school placement. Lower pupil teacher ratios for teaching support and additional SNA support is generally available in special class or special school provision.

The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and then a matter for the school/ Board of Management having regard to their own enrolment/admissions policy. 

In order to access the supports of a special class or special school, current policy stipulates that: 

- A student must have a report from a relevant professional or team of professionals (for example, psychologist, Speech and Language Therapist, Psychiatrist), stating that:

1. s/he has a diagnosis (in line with the designation of the special class in question); and

2. s/he has complex or severe learning needs that require the support of a special class/school setting and the reasons why this is the case.

- The professional report must meet Department requirements for the particular diagnosis in question.

In some cases the decision may be relatively straightforward as the student’s needs are very complex.  In other cases, the decision is made following a period of assessment, intervention and review, conducted by teachers, in conjunction, as appropriate, with psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPs) and other external professionals. Parents and students should be actively involved in this process.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports as required.

The SENOs are available to assist parents to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs and to discuss their child's special educational needs.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, and the SENO is available to offer assistance and advice to the school. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.