Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

581. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to support a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10989/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

This Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

By the end of the year there will be over 20,800 special educational teachers and 23,400 SNAs in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. This will mean we will have over 44,200 teachers and SNAs working in our education system committed to supporting and nurturing children with special educational needs, enabling them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

Budget 2025 has secured additional funding, bringing investment in the Summer Programme to €62 million, the largest investment to date. It will provide targeted resources for primary and post primary schools to help with planning and transitioning for children with special educational needs. A dedicated special education innovation fund will be established in recognition of the need to continually evolve and examine best practice to support children with special educational needs. In addition, it provides additional funding for enhanced training for teachers and SNAs and provides additional grant funding to external bodies to assist with supports for children with special educational needs.

My Department actively engages with the representative bodies for special schools, in order to help to address some of the additional challenges these schools face over their mainstream counterparts.

Following close engagement with special schools, and awareness of the challenges facing special schools a number of new measures have been introduced to support special schools. Firstly, the appointment of new posts for Administrative Deputy Principals in all special schools has been instrumental in assisting Principals with leadership and management functions and to support learning and parental and community engagement.

Secondly, the allocation of 100 post-primary teaching posts to ensure a greater range of the national curriculum subjects can be taught to improve student progression and transition.

An increase in funding to ensure that the Summer Programme continues to expand for students with special educational needs.

In addition to these budgetary measures, my department is also working closely with the NCSE to further support special schools in relation to a range of issues relating to administration, curriculum and training.

The assistive technology scheme where 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 learning needs who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist equipment.

To offer longitudinal support to children who are deaf, hard of hearing or blind or visually impaired, the visiting teaching service under the NCSE is available. This service provides qualified teachers, who have particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of hearing loss to support the child, the school and parents.

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.