Charlie McConalogue
Question:302. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total funding allocated for special needs education in each year since 1997 including this year. [47638/12]
View answerTuesday, 6 November 2012
Questions (302)
Written answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that this Government remains committed to the protection of frontline services for pupils with special educational needs. The programme for Government sets out that education will be a priority for this Government and that we will endeavour to protect and enhance the educational experience of children, young people and students. The continued commitment of this Government to special education provision, at a time when savings are being required across a range of expenditure areas, has ensured that children with special educational needs can continue to have access to educational facilities in line with their requirements.
Approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department – some €1.3 billion – was spent in support of children with special educational needs in 2011. Provision for the current year is in line with expenditure for last year showing that, despite the current economic difficulties, the overall level of funding for special education has not been cut. The equivalent spends for 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 are €468m, €605m, €706m, €838m, €900m, €1bn and €1.2bn respectively.
The Deputy will be aware that expenditure in relation to supports provided for children with special educational needs occurs across a number of separate divisional areas such as, for example, salary costs for additional teaching and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) supports, school building adaptations, assistive technology, transport arrangements and enhanced capitation payable. From 2004 onwards, the particular spend on special education within the various categories has been differentiated and aggregated. However, details of the disaggregated expenditure made for children with special educational within various categories of expenditure provision was not separately recorded prior to 2004 and is therefore not readily available.