Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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397. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children with special educational needs in rural parts of the country that have to travel outside their area to receive appropriate education in cities or large towns due to lack of services in their own area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37250/25]

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.

As you are aware the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend their local mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided.

The location of special classes and special schools is determined by local demand. My department and the NCSE identify the need for special educational provision with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability. In addition, part of the forward planning process as to where additional special school capacity is required looks at how far students are travelling to access an education appropriate to their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information the NCSE hold at local level on the number of children seeking a special education place in a region.

Through the establishment of 400 new special classes each year and the provision of 16 new special schools, this is ensuring that more children and young people should have greater options in terms of accessing a special class or special school places in their local area. As more and more special classes are established and further new special schools are opened this will improve year on year.

Under a new parents notify process, parents are requested to notify the NCSE where a child or young person may require a special class or special school place. This new measure has ensured that the NCSE have a clearer picture of local need across all counties and can consider where new provision is required.

It is important that new provision continues to be established in as many schools as possible. This provides parents more options when deciding which schools to apply to, ensures that provision continues to grow in a diverse number of schools across regions and should help in reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class place.

As more special classes are provided, particularly at post-primary level, it provides more options for children with complex special educational needs to attend their local schools. However, it is also essential that we work to ensure more children requiring a special school place can access their nearest special school.

Many special schools originally established under a particular designation of student need have and continue to diversify to provide an education to a greater number of students with different levels need. This is in keeping with my departments policy on an inclusive education and facilitates students with more complex needs to be educated in their local special school. My department will continue to support special schools in this endeavour.

In order to support children that are required to travel my department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is available. This service generally operates on a door-to-door basis. In certain circumstances, there may be a requirement for specialised vehicles, or for individual services. In many cases, the support of a school transport escort is required to assist children while travelling on school transport services.

My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs and are committed to ensuring that no matter where a child is enrolled they have access to the required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals.