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Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2020

Tuesday, 29 September 2020

Questions (478)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

478. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if additional ASD supports will be rolled out in secondary schools in Shannon, County Clare in view of the fact that there are at least five sixth class pupils in the catchment area seeking such a place in a years’ time despite only one being available. [26942/20]

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Written answers

Ensuring that every child has a suitable school placement is a key objective of my Department.  Significant resources are allocated each year to ensure that appropriate supports are available for children with special educational needs. 

Children with special educational needs are supported through placement in mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. At school, they receive a range of supports provided by teachers and SNAs.  Other professional supports, including training for teachers, are provided by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to enable each school provide a holistic educational experience for each child.  The HSE is responsible for the delivery of therapeutic supports.

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 education placements.  The NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and school places nationally to meet identified need. This process is ongoing.

The NCSE through its network of SENOs continues to seek to establish special classes in schools in the Shannon and Ennis areas in response to local demand.  Planning takes into consideration the current availability of such places and focuses on locations where additional provision is required.

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. School transport is also available. My Department works closely with the NCSE in this regard.

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