Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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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).

For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been 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.

For the first time ever there will be 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.

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 engage 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 12th April, 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 to date by the NCSE for opening in the 2023/24 school year.

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.

A range of supports designed to support children with special educational needs are available, including;

The school transport scheme for children with special education needs which provides free school transport to eligible children with diagnosed disabilities and can include the provision of additional transport assistance such as escorts or the provision of specific or individual transport arrangements.

The assistive technology scheme where funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes. All equipment provided under this scheme supports children with more complex disabilities who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist equipment.

To offer longitudinal support to children who are deaf or hard of hearing, the visiting teaching service under the NCSE is available. This service provides qualified teachers, who have particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of hearing loss to support the child, the school and parents.

In addition, the home tuition scheme provides funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for;

(a)Early educational intervention for children with autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria

(b)Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school

(c)Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, or school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school.

It should be noted that home tuition is provided as an interim measure and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a school placement.

My Department has also developed school building guidelines based on the principle of universal design to ensure that children and young people can access school buildings and attend school with their peers.

The preferred approach is that children are educated in school settings where children have access to fully qualified teachers, individualised education programmes, special needs assistants, school curriculum with the option, where possible and appropriate, of full or partial integration and interaction with student peers.

These supports and modes of study, support the aim of my department in ensuring every child is allocated a suitable school placement appropriate to their needs.

I wish to assure the Deputy that my department and the NCSE are 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.