Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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746.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the plans for the expansion of the school inclusion model and educational therapy support services in order that every school has these services; if assistive technology is being considered as part of this expansion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32369/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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On 20 June last, I announced the establishment of the Educational Therapy Support Service within the NCSE. The Educational Therapy Support Service will build on the achievements and impacts of the in-school therapy supports services in the School Inclusion Model or ‘SIM’ pilot programme. SIM provided speech and language and occupational therapists with an opportunity to systematically build the capacity of school communities to meet the needs of students.

The Educational Therapy Support Service is designed to build the capacity of teachers and other school personnel to provide as effectively as possible for the needs of students. This will mean that therapists will work in classrooms with teachers to provide, for example, language programmes which have been co-designed by teachers and speech and language therapists.

The Educational Therapy Support Service model will work in a complementary manner with health services such as Primary Care or the Children’s Network Disability Team (CDNT), who are responsible for the provision of clinical therapy supports to children. Therapists will work in schools to promote the participation and inclusion of all students and particularly those with special education needs across all levels of a multi-tiered system of support, providing individualised and intensive educational support for students with the greatest level of need.

The Education Therapy Support Service arose from the clearly identified need for wraparound support in schools in the areas of Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language therapy.

The next steps in this expansion process will include a robust recruitment process within the NCSE to attract persons with the relevant skills and qualifications.

The NCSE intends to be operationally ready to deliver therapy services in the Eastern and Western regions for the commencement of the school year in September, moving to full implementation of all posts by October 2024. In terms of practical steps, Limerick has been identified as the most suitable hub for the Western region which includes Kerry, Clare, Limerick, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. Dublin will be the hub for the Eastern region and includes the greater Dublin area.

Under the Assistive Technology Scheme, as set out in my Department’s Circular 0010/2013, 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. The Assistive Technology Scheme is open to all schools.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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747.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the recently introduced Education (Amendment) Bill 2024; the measures being considered by her Department to ensure that parents of children with special educational needs are facilitated in getting school places, at primary and secondary level, for their children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32370/24]

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. 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.

The Education (Amendment) Bill 2024 has been duly noted by my department.

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 and well in progress for next year and indeed future years.

402 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2024/25 school year, 284 at primary and 118 at post primary level, providing over 2,400 special education places in mainstream schools.

The NCSE is confident that through the provision of the newly sanctioned classes and vacancies in existing classes there is sufficient places to meet the needs of all children known to them for September 2024.

Significant additional resources have been provided to the NCSE to allow for its expansion. By September we will have 120 local special educational needs organisers who at a local level are a pivotal point of contact for parents, guardians and schools. This together with the enhanced capacity of other services within the NCSE, will bolster the level of service and provide effective structures to relieve pressure on parents when seeking special educational placements.