Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
761. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) will be able to provide the promised school place to a pupil; if there has been a teacher appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39159/23]
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. 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).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been 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 funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs.
For the first time ever there will be over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. 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.
The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
389 new special classes – 253 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening in the 2023/24 school year, with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
In addition, two special schools for the 2023/24 school year have been established; one Carrigtwohill Community National School in Carrigtwohill, east Cork and the other An Cósan special school in Grangegorman Dublin 7.
The City of Dublin Education Training Board (ETB) are the patron body of An Cósan special school.
My Department continues to work with the City of Dublin ETB and the NCSE in supporting the opening of this special school. My department has been advised that the City of Dublin ETB are currently progressing the recruitment of staff for the new school. A school principal has recently been appointed.
Correspondence to all parents from the ETB providing indicative timelines in regards to the school opening in term 1 of the 2023/24 school year has issued. The NCSE through the special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are currently contacting all parents who have accepted a place in An Cósan special school to support them in applying for a Home Tuition Grant as an interim measure until the school opens.
The department's Home Tuition Grant Scheme provides funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.
The scheme is governed by annual circulars which set out the details, purpose and eligibility criteria. Circular 0024/2023 provides information in relation to the 2023/24 Home Tuition Grant Scheme and can be accessed by clicking on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/67f37-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20232024-special-education-component/
The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for:
Early educational intervention for children with autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria
Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school
Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, or school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school
I want to assure 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 education.
