Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 July 2020
194. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special units requested for County Wicklow in each of the past five years; the details of the schools that made these requests; the locations in which these units have been approved in the county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19458/20]
View answerSince 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased almost threefold, from 548 to 1,618 for the 2019/2020 school year; with 1,353 of these catering for children with autism.
167 new special classes have been established nationally for the 2019/20 school year of which approximately 156 are new autism special classes, comprising 6 Early Intervention, 100 primary, and 50 post-primary autism classes.
A list of special classes for September 2019 is available on the NCSE website at:
https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/NCSE-List-of-Special-Classes-for-September-2019.pdf
Budget 2020 provided for an additional 265 special class teachers in 2020, which will allow for the opening of additional classes where required.
The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide; has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents; and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.
It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school. My Department works closely with the NCSE in this regard.
The NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and school places nationally to meet identified need for next year. This process is ongoing.
The NCSE's local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise both schools and the parents of children with special educational needs in relation to special class provision in the Wicklow area.
The table below details the information currently available from the NCSE on special class provision in Co. Wicklow together with a breakdown of the figures over the last 5 years.
Wicklow Special Classes
|
Opened |
Post Primary |
Primary |
Grand Total |
|
Pre 2015 |
5 |
21 |
26 |
|
01/09/2015 |
1 |
6 |
7 |
|
01/09/2016 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
|
01/09/2017 |
4 |
8 |
12 |
|
01/09/2018 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
01/09/2019 |
1 |
9 |
10 |
|
Grand Total |
13 |
49 |
62 |
The NCSE will continue to support schools in the Wicklow area in establishing special classes to meet an identified need for the establishment of such classes as well as providing advice and information in relation to the availability of special class placements within the area.
