Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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1058. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a child in County Kildare (details supplied) will receive a special school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21076/25]

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.

The NCSE is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I have forwarded this issue to them for their attention and direct reply.

Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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1059. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available for schools with autism classes where they require additional guidance or training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21116/25]

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.

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

This service offers dedicated professional learning opportunities for teachers supporting students with additional needs. The NCSE has also secured the services of Middletown Centre for Autism to deliver support to school staff in special classes for children with autism.

The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) also provides professional learning opportunities that are available to all primary and post primary school teachers on supporting children and young people.

In addition, my department has published a range of guidance documents for schools educating children with special educational needs, such as; Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools – Supporting Children and Young People which are available on gov.ie. at: gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/autism-good-practice-guidance-for-schools-supporting-children-and-young-people/.

Any school who requires guidance or has identified a training need should contact the NCSE who can provide advice. The contact details for local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available on the NCSE's website. The NCSE, through its increased workforce has also conducted site planning visits at over 1,700 schools in recent months and one key issue for discussion at these meetings has the been the training needs of the school staff.

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.