Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 October 2023
72. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of special educational needs classes that are currently being taught by mainstream teachers due to shortages of special educational needs teachers. [45066/23]
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. Further progress has been made in Budget 2024 where 26% of my department’s budget will be dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs, representing a 5% increase on Budget 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 and in 2024 a further 744 teachers, and 1,126 SNAs will be added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs.
This will mean there will be close to 20,000 teachers and over 21,000 SNAs working in the area of special education. Together we will have over 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, SETs and reviews.
My department recognises the importance of providing well-timed and appropriate support to pupils with identified learning needs.
The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation for mainstream schools provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on the educational needs profile of each school.
Schools are frontloaded with ring-fenced SET resources for the purpose of supporting pupils with an identified and recorded special education learning need. This allocation allows schools to provide additional teaching support for pupils who require such support in their schools based on each pupil’s individual learning needs.
It is a matter for schools to deploy SET resources effectively to meet the needs identified in the Student Support Plans, which should be based on the continuum of support framework.
Once the department allocates SET hours to a school it is the responsibility of the school and the board of management to utilise the allocation to meet the needs of those students with special educational needs.
SET hours should only be used for their intended purpose to support pupils with an identified and recorded special education learning need.
It is important to remember that teachers normally qualify as either primary or post-primary teachers. A qualified primary or post-primary teacher registered with the Teaching Council can be assigned to work in a special class. There is no separate registration route for special education teachers. Whether teachers are assigned to special class or mainstream posts within a school is a matter for the school leadership and board of management to decide at local level.
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.
