Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
269. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the number of SETs currently employed by her Department; the number of sanctioned SET posts; the average full-year cost of employing these SETs; the average cost of each SET to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24108/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department's total allocation for 2023.
This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.
In 2023 the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.
For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
All schools have an allocation of teaching support for pupils with special educational needs. The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation allows schools to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who require such support in their schools and for schools to deploy resources based on each pupil's individual learning needs. SETs are employed at local level by the school board of management.
The school will take account of learning needs of children as evidenced by performance in schools but also supported where relevant by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a pupil may have.
A process is available where schools can seek a review of their SET allocation by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations. Detailed information on the NCSE review process is published on the NCSE website ncse.ie/special-education-teachers
My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
There are currently 14,420 Special Education Teaching posts in mainstream classes and each post costs on average €72,598. Total costs are estimated at just over 1 billion.
Further teaching posts are provided in special classes and special schools.
My Department is committed to supporting schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
