Written answers

Monday, 9 September 2024

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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669.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding that was allocated in 2019 and 2020 for in-school therapy supports for children in special schools; and the number of therapists delivering these supports in 2019 and 2020, in tabular form.[35535/24]

Photo of Pauline TullyPauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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673.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current number of special schools; the estimated number of special schools to be open for the 2025 2026 academic year; the number of therapy staff needed to deliver in-school therapy supports in each special school; and the estimated additional funding required to fully staff special schools to deliver in-school therapy supports in each special school.[35558/24]

Photo of Hildegarde NaughtonHildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 669 and 673 together.

There is currently 134 special schools nationwide, 124 supported by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), 7 attached to hospitals and 3 attached to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHs).

My department and the NCSE continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools and the expansion of existing special schools in all areas of the country. It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required nationwide each year for the coming years.

Where additional special school places are needed, the preference is generally to expand capacity in existing schools. However, consideration is being given to whether further new special schools, in addition to those recently established are required in certain locations. As part of this work, the NCSE is examining known demand in areas, the distances children are travelling to special schools and potential capacity in special schools which already exist. This work is ongoing and is expected to be substantially completed in late autumn. A number of regions are under consideration for special school provision.

My department and the NCSE are progressing this review work ahead of determining where additional capacity is required, in existing special schools, or, in what regions a new special school may need to be established for the 2025/26 school year.

My department does not provide funding to special schools to cover the cost of hiring private therapists. The provision of health-related therapy services for children with disabilities is a matter for the Health Service Executive (HSE) and queries in relation to those services should be directed to the HSE or to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth.

My department cannot duplicate the provision of funds to provide services that are already covered within the service delivery agreements that the HSE have in place. My department has engaged extensively with the HSE and others in relation to the provision of therapy services in special schools leading to the recent announcement of a pilot programme which will see the HSE deploying therapists into a number of special schools for the duration of the school day and the school year. My Department and the NCSE will be working closely with the HSE on the establishment of this new pilot programme.

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