Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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746. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports and additional accommodations available to children and young people with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder at primary and post-primary level in Irish schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12511/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Allocations of special education teaching posts for the next school year have recently been provided to schools and SNA allocations will be confirmed by the NCSE to schools in quarter two this year.

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.

The Special Education Teaching (SET) Allocation Model is a standardised allocation model that provides schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of students in mainstream classes.

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

SNAs are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the children enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

The functions of the NCSE include planning and coordinating the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs in conjunction with schools and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports as required.

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.

When allocating resources schools take into account the learning needs of students as evidenced by performance in schools but also supported where relevant by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a student may have. Specific interventions are therefore tailored, by the school, to the individual’s needs, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty, disability or condition.

My department also provides funding for assistive technologies for children where they are required. Information on these supports is available also via the local SENO.

I understand that my Department has received a request for a meeting from an organisaton in relation to the supports available for students with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and this meeting will be arranged in due course.