Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 September 2020

Tuesday, 22 September 2020

Questions (416)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

416. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of increasing special education provision by 15% on the 2018 level. [24807/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Very significant levels of financial provision are made to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs.

In 2018 my Department invested over €1.75 Billion on making additional provision for children with special educational needs. This increased to €1.9 Billion this year, almost 20% of my Departments total current educational and training budget.

Increasing the current investment in special education by 15% would cost €285million.

Increasing the allocation of funding available for special education by 15% based of the 2018 spending figure would cost €262.5 million.