John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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593.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the Government’s over-arching strategy for children on the autism spectrum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30984/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Ireland’s policy framework for the education of students with special educational needs, including those with autism, is based on the continuum of educational provision. The continuum ranges across mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.

The vast majority of children and young people with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes. Children and young people with more complex needs may require a placement in a special class or a special school. A professional report is required recommending a special class or special school placement to access these places.

Approximately 3,000 special classes for children with special educational needs have been sanctioned by the NCSE. The majority of these are in primary schools and cater for the needs of children with autism at a level that requires specialist intervention. Each special class for children with autism at primary level is staffed by a teacher and two special needs assistants (SNAs) and by 1.5 teachers and two SNAs at post-primary level.

The Department is committed to the training and support of teachers and school leaders to provide quality, inclusive teaching.

Teachers are supported and encouraged to 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 educational needs, including those with autism, in mainstream classrooms. In that regard, significant supports are available through both the National Council for Special Education and Oide, the new teacher support service. These include a range of autism-specific training opportunities provided by the NCSE.

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.