Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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73. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if and when a special educational needs organiser will be urgently assigned to the north Kildare area, with particular reference to the forthcoming school year and ensuring as much support as possible is put in place for children with special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31483/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special needs Organisers (SENOs), for fulfilling the functions of the Council within a designated area in relation to the identification of and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with disabilities.

The Council employs SENOs to provide a nationwide system of local services. Locally based SENOs consult widely with parents/guardians, teachers, health care professionals, school authorities, HSE and other relevant government agencies.

SENOs are assigned by region, rather than on a county basis. North Kildare falls within the remit of the South East Team 2, which currently comprises of 3.5 SENOs, team manager and regional manager. I understand that a recent SENO recruitment competition has led to the NCSE extending offers of employment to successful candidates. Consequently, 3 newly appointed SENOs are expected to commence on this team in early July, with a further 2 SENOs commencing in late July. Therefore it is intended that in August 2023, a total of 8.5 SENOs, team manager and regional manager will be engaged in the provision of services in the South East Team 2 region.

In addition, where a SENO vacancy arises, a SENO point of contact is assigned to the area to assist schools, parents and local services until the position is filled. Essential services are maintained through cover provided from available staff resources. If parents are unsure of the SENO for their area, they can contact the team manager for the region, who will be able to inform them of the SENO’s details providing interim cover. A list showing the Regional Manager, Team Manager, and SENO contact details can be found on the regional contact list on the NCSE website.

It is a priority that the NCSE is properly resourced to have a visible and effective presence in our schools and to guide and support our parents and children on their educational journey. The €13 million investment announced in budget 2023 will see an increase of over 50% in overall staffing levels in the NCSE, with an up to 60% increase in the case of 73 current SENOs. This funding will that ensure the NCSE can continue to deliver real and meaningful supports for children, families and schools. The NCSE is currently engaged with the planning process in respect of the expanded headcount and service delivery on foot of Budget 2023 announcement. This process will establish the priorities, work program, the staffing levels required and critical path activities to be undertaken in parallel by NCSE and the Department, to give effect to the recent budgetary announcement whilst also ensuring current service delivery is maintained.

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. 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).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

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 funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs in our schools next year.

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.

The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.

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.

My department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. 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 a result of this forward planning, on the 12^thApril, Minister Foley and l announced the establishment of two new special schools for the 2023/2024 school year, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.

Along with the two new special schools, 380 new special classes – 250 at primary and 130 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening in the 2023/2024 school year, with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.

In Co. Dublin, 76 new special classes will open for the 2023/24 school year, 52 at primary level and 24 at post-primary, bringing the total number of classes in Co. Dublin to 540. Of these 12 special classes - 10 at primary and 2 at post-primary are within the Dublin 16 area. 1 new primary class and 1 new post-primary class is opening in the Dublin 16 area for the coming school year.

As demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates, my department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes.

In October of last year, my department wrote to all post-primary schools to advise them of the need to begin planning to provide additional special classes. It is envisaged that all post-primary schools will be required to provide special classes over the next 3 to 5 years, with an approximate average of 4 special classes in each school.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. The local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain 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.

Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie

It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.

The NCSE is committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for the coming school year 2023/24.

I want to reassure you also that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.