John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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517. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to recognise school assistance dogs within the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People’s implementation framework; and to support the expansion of this evidence-based pilot to more schools nationwide. [48311/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me, 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 class and special school places are provided.

This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that children will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.

In 2025 over €2.9 billion will be spent supporting children with special educational needs. This figure builds on previous years and represents over a quarter of the education budget. It has provided for, amongst other things, 400 new special classes and 300 new special school places. It has also increased our special educational posts by 768 special education teacher and 1,600 special needs assistant (SNA) posts nationwide.

By the end of this year there will be close to 21,000 special educational teachers and over 23,000 special needs assistants (SNAs) in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. This will mean we will have over 44,000 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.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for children with special educational needs.

The policy of the Department of Education is to allocate supports to recognised schools to cater for the needs of pupils with special educational needs in an educational context. Therapeutic services for children with disabilities are provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

In general, schools supporting pupils with special educational needs can draw on a range of interventions, and it is a matter for schools to determine the approach or mix of approaches which they will use in each individual case.

The approach towards each child's education would be based on the individual educational needs of the child and would have regard to the child's individual education plan and supporting professional reports.

The provision of health-related therapy services is the responsibility of the HSE, and matters in relation to the provision of those services should therefore be directed to that body or to the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality.