Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021
88. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the measures being taken by her Department to incentivise persons to pursue a career in special educational needs and measures being taken to retain current staff in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25084/21]
View answerThe state will invest approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget, in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs next year. This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which time €1.247 billion per annum was provided.
Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased by almost 235%, from 548 to 1,836 for the 2020/2021 school year. There are now 1,570 special classes in place: 135 Early Intervention, 1,000 primary and 435 post-primary autism special classes. This is an increase of 9% at primary level and 74% at post-primary compared to 2017. Budget 2021 provided for an additional 235 special class teachers in 2021.
Special education offers huge opportunities for teaching graduates and other with suitable qualifications for SNA posts. The numbers of teacher in special education and special needs assistants (SNAs) are at unprecedented levels in 2021. Working in special education providing some of the most vulnerable children in society with an education is a very worthwhile career. My Department is not aware of evidence indicating difficulty in filling the new teacher or SNA posts coming on stream.
The SNA scheme provides mainstream primary, post primary and special schools with additional adult support staff to assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs to attend school.
SNAs are recruited specifically to assist schools in providing the necessary non–teaching services to pupils with additional and significant care needs. The role of the SNA is to support the classroom teacher and special education teachers, and to assist in the care needs of pupils with disabilities in an educational context.
Teachers and SNAs work across the full special education continuum spanning, mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.
There are currently over 17,000 SNA posts allocated to primary, post primary and special schools. Budget 2021 provided an additional 990 Special Needs Assistants. There will be over 18,000 SNA posts by the end of 2021 which is an increase of 70% since 2011.
In addition to mainstream class teachers, there are 13,620 special education teachers support the mainstream class teacher by providing additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in schools.
The appointment of teachers and SNAs is a matter for the individual school authority. Terms and conditions including salary are agreed centrally.
All initial teacher education in Ireland that leads to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council whose role is to promote and regulate professional standards in teaching.
There are extensive professional development and other supports available for teachers working in a special education environment.
The NCSE provides regular continual professional development for teachers to enhance the quality of learning and teaching of students with SEN.
A new National Training Programme for SNAs was introduced in January 2021 with an initial cohort of 500 SNAs, which was oversubscribed. In total, there are 3,500 places available on the programme over the next four years.
The Department provides enhanced capitation levels for special schools and special classes. Each facility is dedicated to a particular disability group and each operates at a specially reduced pupil teacher ratio.
