Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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734. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding streams available for resources and assistive technology, such as ipads, in autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58530/25]

Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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735. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there is specific funding available for resources in autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58531/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 734 and 735 together.

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 department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) continue to make a range of supports available for schools with special classes. This provision includes; teacher and special needs assistant (SNA) resources, enhanced capitation grants, assistive technology grants, the school transport scheme, and a number of dedicated training, guidance and resource documents.

In addition, where schools are opening a new special class a number of new measure were introduced to allow schools to access capital funding in a more streamlined and efficient manner.

These include;

• A new amalgamated start up grant of €30,000 for each school opening a new special class for minor ancillary works and equipment. This grant is automatically paid to schools and encompasses four previous grants available for equipment, furniture, sensory and information and communications technology (ICT).
• Up to €70,000 is available to school who need small-scale repurposing works.
• While schools requiring more significant works have access to the wider capital programme.