Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there has been a reduction of special needs assistant hours from 95 to 90 in a school (details supplied); whether she understands that the parents as well as the staff in the school are very concerned about this, as it means more pressure on them; and whether this reduction could be reversed. [22532/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. 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.

I understand the question to relate to the allocation of Special Education Teaching hours.

The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation model for 2024/25 is based on information from all 4,000 schools in the country. The model distributes the total available number of SET posts in line with each school’s profile of need. The model makes an allocation on the basis of a number of inputs, including enrolment numbers. It also uses school-level data from standardised tests in order to reflect relative levels of overall need.

The school referred to by the Deputy saw a reduction in their SET allocation of 95 to 90 hours due to a reduction in enrolments since their last profile update.

My department acknowledge that every school is different, and that schools can experience unique circumstances that may be difficult to reflect in any standardised method. This is always a challenge when making allocations in respect of 4,000 schools. It is for this reason that the department, working with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has streamlined the review process for SET hours and schools who have any concerns can engage with the NCSE on their allocation.

I can confirm the school has submitted a review application. The NCSE undertook a full in school review on 9 May and this is being progressed at present. The school will be advised of the outcome of this review by the end of May.

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.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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298. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional resources will be provided to schools in the Fingal local authority area to allow for the expansion of school places and classes for children with special educational needs; if particular focus will be given to accommodating children with special educational needs who do not have a school place for September 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22534/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. 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.

My department engage intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. Work on the provision of new special classes is well advanced ahead of the 2024/25 school year. Forward planning 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 over 320 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE nationwide for the 2024/25 school year, and of these 36 are in County Dublin. While the vast majority of new special classes for the coming school year have now been sanctioned by the NCSE, they will continue to sanction some further new classes for the 2024/25 school year. A list of the location of new classes will be published by the NCSE shortly.

The NCSE have advised my department that they are actively working on enhancing capacity in the local area and remain available to assist and advise the parent of students with special educational need.

My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Providing inclusive education to children with special educational needs is a fundamental principle of the education system. This principle is observed through Department policies, Teaching Council requirements for initial teacher education, curriculum provision and the range of supports provided to schools by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and Oide.

Teachers undertake professional learning in a range of pedagogical, curricular and educational areas. Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) provided for teachers supports the inclusion of students with Special Education Needs (SEN) in mainstream classrooms.

Funded by the Department, Oide works with teachers and school leaders to provide ongoing support and professional development, which promotes inclusive practices.

The Droichead Induction programme supports the induction and professional learning of primary and post-primary newly-qualified teachers (NQTs) into the teaching profession, thus laying the foundations for subsequent professional growth and learning.

Droichead offers a range of induction workshops for NQTs that provide complementary special education needs support addressing behaviour, inclusion, and differentiated support for all learners.

The Teaching Council reviewed its policy on standards for programmes of initial teacher education and published updated standards in Céim Standards for Initial Teacher Education in October 2020.

Céim includes seven Core Elements which shall underpin all aspects of programmes of ITE. One of these is inclusive education, which is defined as follows:

The term inclusive education refers to any aspect of teachers’ learning aimed at improving their capacity to address and respond to the diversity of learners’ needs; to enable their participation in learning; and remove barriers to education through the accommodation and provision of appropriate structures and arrangements to enable each learner to achieve the maximum benefit from his/her attendance at school.

The Council’s view of a truly inclusive approach to professional practice recognises that teachers encounter a diverse range of needs in the course of their teaching, regardless of setting. This will include additional learning needs (e.g. autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia) and learning needs associated with diverse linguistic, socioeconomic, cultural and ethnic (including Traveller community, Roma) backgrounds.

On an annual basis, the Department of Education provides funding for two distinct categories of post-graduate programmes for Special Education Teachers:

• Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Teacher Professional Learning for Special Education Teachers.
• Graduate Certificate in Autism Education for teachers working with Autistic Pupils in Special Schools, Special Classes or as Special Education Teachers in mainstream Primary and Post-Primary Schools.