Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures her Department is taking to ensure that special education classes are provided in schools where they currently do not exist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26204/24]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional spaces that will be available in special education classes in both primary and secondary schools for the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26205/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 172 and 173 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.

My department and the NCSE work closely in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places, work which is close to finalisation for the 2024/25 school year.

Over 360 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2024/25 school year. Of these, 48 are in Dublin, 32 at primary level and 16 at post-primary. This brings the overall number of classes in County Dublin to 582. The vast majority of these classes are autism classes and have a teacher/student ratio of 1:6.

The NCSE expect to confirm some additional classes shortly to ensure that a sufficient level of provision is available. The NCSE is confident that through the provision of these new classes and vacancies in existing classes there is sufficient places to meet the needs of all children known to them for September 2024.

I have asked the NCSE to ensure classes are established as a matter of urgency and to keep all families seeking class places updated on an ongoing basis to ensure their children can access the provision to which they are entitled.

Looking forward my department and the NCSE have begun preparatory work in relation to planning for the provision of further new special class and special school places for the 2025/26 school year and beyond.

My department and the NCSE identify the need for special educational provision with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability.

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 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting that each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of children progressing from primary school. The department and the NCSE continue to have engagement with post-primary school management bodies in relation to the provision of special classes.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has made a decision on opening the schools summer works programme this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26249/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis for categories of works such as roof works, window replacement, mechanical and electrical works, external works etc. and was last opened for applications in 2019.

My Department is leading an ambitious sustainability agenda and has progressed a wide array of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our school buildings. It is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes targets around the decarbonisation of Ireland’s public buildings.

As part of it’s planning for 2024 and beyond, Department officials are considering and planning for the next phases of the summer works programme and the opportunities this may create to support the sustainability agenda. In this regard, it is envisaged at this stage that, a Multi-Annual SWS with a focus on climate action and energy conservation will be the focus for the next summer works scheme to be opened for applications. The arrangements and timing of that SWS is still under consideration and schools will be updated in due course.

It should also be noted that the Energy in Education website portal and advice programme (Joint programme between SEAI and Dept. of Education) also provides schools with information on how to improve energy use practices and to reduce school operating costs while helping to protect the environment for future generations. The website can be accessed at the following link: www.energyineducation.ie.