Written answers

Thursday, 4 May 2023

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Francis Noel DuffyFrancis Noel Duffy (Dublin South West, Green Party)
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166. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify whether funding for children with additional needs is being considered for a school (details supplied); and if so, when it is expected to receive such funding. [20938/23]

Photo of Josepha MadiganJosepha 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.

This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.

In 2023 the number of teaching and special needs assistant (SNA) posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs.

For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs (SEN).

My department is committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential. My department strives to ensure that every child has access to an educational experience that is appropriate to their needs and supports both their academic and personal development.

Our policy, which is set out in the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 (EPSEN) is that children with special educational needs should be educated in mainstream placements with additional supports provided as appropriate.

Where children require more specialised educational settings, such as special classes or special schools, the department and the NCSE ensures that the necessary resources and supports for such placements are provided in line with the needs of the child.

We have made a lot of progress over the last three years in terms of providing special classes and special school places 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.

There are a total of 2,537 special classes opened nationwide. Of the 2,537 special classes, there are 1798 at primary level and 739 at post primary level. We want to continue this level of progress to ensure that there are sufficient places in special classes and special schools for children who need them.

The NCSE has advised my department that it continues to work with schools to ensure all students identified as requiring places in the special class meet the Department of Education’s criteria for enrolment in a special class.

As your query refers to the establishment to a special class in a specific school, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.

It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.

The school can apply to the NCSE for a review of its SNA allocation if it is insufficient to meet the needs of its students.

Detailed information on the NCSE Exceptional Review process is published on the NCSE website: ncse.ie/application-for-sna-exceptional-review.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, and the SENO is available to offer assistance and advice to the school. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required.

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