Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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78. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth what engagement that has been held with the Minister for Education in regard to the provision of special schools in the State. [32060/23]

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Resources in Children’s Disability Services are assigned to the Children’s Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). 91 CDNTs are aligned to 96 Community Healthcare Networks across the country and are providing services and supports for children with complex disability needs, aged from birth to 18 years of age.

CDNTs are teams of health and social care professionals, including nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, social work and others. CDNTs were established following a reconfiguration of existing resources in children’s disability services. These teams were established to provide services based on each child’s presenting needs rather than where they went to school.

Having listened to the on-going concerns of parents of children with complex needs who attend special schools and following extensive engagement between the HSE, Department of Health, Department of Education and the Department of An Taoiseach in 2021 and 2022, it was agreed by Government that priority be given to re-instate the pre-existing health supports in special schools. In this regard 85 additional posts were allocated to CDNTs in 2021 and a further 136 posts were funded in 2022 to provide services in 104 special schools across the country. Each one of the approved additional posts will deliver services on a 35 hour week basis. The allocation to special schools is aligned with the level of service and disciplines provided prior to the establishment of CDNTs under the PDS Programme.

My Department continues to engage with the HSE to explore options to enhance the recruitment and retention of essential staff across children's disability services.

The provision of special schools is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Education.