Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 and 189 together.

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority 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 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. This will allow for, amongst other things, the opening of up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and 300 additional special school places.

In 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting these children.

The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.

Over the last number of 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 almost 1,300 new special classes sanctioned and seven new special schools established over the last four years.

My department engage intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, 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, two new special schools have been established for this current school year in Cork and Dublin, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.

In addition, four new special schools will be established for the 2024/25 school year in counties Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Limerick. This will bring to 11 the number of new special schools established in recent years.

Along with the two new special schools opening this school year, 390 new special classes – 254 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE.

Of these 76 are in Cork, 52 at primary level and 24 at post-primary level. This brings to 496 the number of special classes in County Cork, 351 at primary level and 145 at post-primary level. The vast majority of these class are autism classes and have a teacher/student ratio of 1:6.

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/special-classes

Planning for special classes and special school places is currently underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. The locations of the new classes will be confirmed by the NCSE shortly.

The NCSE are engaging closely with schools across the country, including schools in the area referred to by the Deputy, to open sufficient special classes to meet the needs of children with special educational needs.

The NCSE advise that they have sanctioned two additional special classes in the local school planning area. There are currently nine special classes at primary level in the area, including one in the school referred to by the Deputy.

The NCSE will continue to monitor need in the area. Local NCSE Regional Management is engaging with schools to ensure sufficient places are being established. Whilst schools with available accommodation are being engaged with, the need for additional classes in schools remains an ongoing consideration. As the demand for placement at local level is being verified, both for students new to education and for those within existing mainstream classes, the NCSE will be in contact with all relevant schools.

My Department understands that the school referred to by the Deputy is considering making an application for additional school accommodation for a special class, but no such application has yet been received.

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: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list

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.