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 (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.

It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

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 providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and their schools.

This includes funding to support children with SEN in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants. 

The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.

Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.

These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.  

The NCSE has sanctioned 21 new special classes at primary level and 5 new special classes at post-primary level over the last 3 years in County Louth.

My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level. 

As part of its forward planning, my Department provides special class accommodation with all new school building projects and has delivered significant special class capacity as part of extension projects at schools in anticipation of the continued requirement for special classes at primary and post primary level.

Where there is not sufficient special class accommodation already in place in an area, my Department works to deliver the required provision to meet the need.  In the first instance, my Department seeks to maximise the use of existing school accommodation, to support the early delivery of the special class accommodation, and in support of climate action goals.  To this end, my Department has put a SEN reconfiguration process in place which hugely streamlined the delivery of the accommodation, via a simplified application process, project manager oversight, and a framework of contractors.  There has been overwhelmingly positive feedback from schools who have undertaken these SEN reconfiguration projects.

If there is no available accommodation capacity in an area, accelerated delivery of special class accommodation can be achieved by use of my Department’s Modular Accommodation Framework, and my Department has additionally put new project manager support in place to assist schools with the delivery of this critical modular accommodation.

Traditional construction projects may also be progressed, depending on the timing of the requirement.

Regardless of the delivery method, my Department aims to deliver purpose designed Special Education Needs facilities that meet the needs of the school, including appropriate ancillary facilities, in a manner which represents a pragmatic and sustainable solution.

Further classes will be required in Louth in the coming years and I want to assure you that both my Department and the NCSE will support schools through the provision of the necessary funding, capital investment and professional development supports to ensure all children are successful in accessing an appropriate education.