James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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372. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the matters raised (details below) can be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44057/24]

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.

Classes are established under a particular designation of student need, e.g., Mild/Moderate/Severe to Profound Learning Disability or for particular conditions e.g. Autism or Deaf/Hard or Hearing. Enrolment into these classes is closely linked to its designation. This ensures that these classes continue to meet the needs of the students for which they were intended. For this reason a diagnosis and/or professional report is required in order for students to be enrolled.

The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs. They have advised my department that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) has had some correspondence from the parent and they have provided them with information in relation to eligibility for enrolment in a special class.

Where there is no class and there is known demand in a local area the NCSE will work with local schools to sanction a class. The NCSE actively encourages expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing an interest is to be commended. Any school who wishes to do so should contact the NCSE locally.

It is important to note that a continuum of support is provided in our education system. The allocation of special education teachers allows schools to provide additional teaching support for all students who require such support in their schools and for schools to deploy resources based on each student’s individual learning needs.

In addition, special needs assistants (SNAs) play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream education, special classes and special schools ensuring that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

The NCSE provides support for teachers with additional training needs in the area of special education, through the NCSE support service which manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training needs.

This support service provides Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) to teachers of students with a variety of special educational needs. The NCSE continues to update current TPL courses for teachers and design new TPL courses in response to the needs of teachers.

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.

I will ask the NCSE to keep in contact with the parent here and to keep my Department updated in relations to developments on this matter.