Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 February 2023
103. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a list of schools in the Dublin area where the Minister has served a notice for additional provision for children with special educational needs under section 37A of the Education Act 1998; and the date such notices were served. [7440/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise that my Department is committed, in conjunction with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.
Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.
These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.
The NCSE have sanctioned 208 new special classes in Co. Dublin over the last 3 years. Of these, 156 special classes are at primary level and 52 are at post-primary level.
There are a total of 474 special classes in Co. Dublin. Of these, 367 special classes are at primary level and 107 are at post primary level.
My Department has engaged intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning for new special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level. As demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates, my Department and the NCSE are engaging with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes. My Department has also recently written to all post-primary schools to advise them of the need to begin planning to provide additional special classes.
If the recent growth in the need for special classes continues, it is expected that a similar level of special classes will be needed at primary level over the next three years as have been provided over the last three years. At post-primary level however, it is expected that we will need to double the number of new special classes being provided over the next three years. In addition, it is estimated that an additional 300 special school places may be needed over each of the next 3 years.
At local level, the NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. Every support will be made available to schools to progress the opening of special classes in the shortest possible timeframe.
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 published documents relating to the two occasions where the Section 37A process was used are available at the following links: gov.ie - Section 37A Notices 2019 - Dublin North (www.gov.ie) and gov.ie - Section 37A Notices 2020 – Dublin South - Notices issued on 26 June 2020 (www.gov.ie).
It is important to note that where possible, children with special educational needs should be accommodated in mainstream education, but where the needs of the children are greater, special classes and indeed special schools are provided. Every effort must be made where special classes exist within a mainstream school to integrate the children and young people in this class with their peers in mainstream classes.
I want to reassure you also that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an appropriate education.
Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie.
