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Special Educational Needs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2022

Tuesday, 12 July 2022

Questions (556)

Aindrias Moynihan

Question:

556. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the indicators that her Department will be considering when identifying schools for opening special education classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37703/22]

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Written answers

Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.

It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

In 2022, we will spend over 25% of our total educational budget on providing additional supports for children with SEN. This represents an increase of over 60%, in total expenditure, since 2011.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.

Over the last two years, my Department and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school-year.

We are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Continuing to add capacity in schools to support SEN provision is a key priority with a particular emphasis at post-primary level.

NCSE 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.

The Department’s Geographic Information Management System (GIS) will continue to support a strategic and coordinated approach to planning and delivery of SEN provision. This includes “real-time” data on capacity across the school system.

I can assure the Deputy that my Department is working actively with the NCSE and other key stakeholders including School Patrons and Management Bodies to provide additional special classes and special school places for the 2022/23 school year and beyond.

The Minister has powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to direct a school to provide additional places but this power is only used as a last resort and where all reasonable efforts have failed.

This legal power to compel schools to open new special classes is only used where the following criteria apply:

- there is established need for additional places in an area

- it is considered that the schools involved in the Section 37 process have capacity to open the additional classes and

- all reasonable efforts have been made to support these schools in making the required provision.

The legislation has been used twice to date; initially in the Dublin 15 area in 2019 and more recently in the South Dublin area in 2020 in respect of primary school provision only.

The Section 37A process has recently been initiated for a third time in relation to the provision of special class places at primary and special school places in the Dublin region. The NCSE have written to me to advise that they have formed an opinion that there is insufficient special class capacity in primary schools and special school capacity in Dublin. In accordance with the legislation, the NCSE are in the process of providing a detailed report on the provision of special class places, which will consider existing provision, any relevant proposed building works and which schools may be able to provide additional provision.

The Section 37 process is one of the tools available to the Department to ensure that adequate suitable education provision is made for children with special needs and it is not a substitute for advance planning. All parties would prefer to see schools volunteer to provide more places rather than places being secured on the back of an order or a direction from the Minister. The evidence available this school-year is that schools are willing to work collaboratively with the Department and NCSE on the provision of new school places for children with special educational needs and I am grateful to all concerned for their ongoing work in this.

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