I propose to take Questions Nos. 550 to 573, inclusive, together.
As discussed and agreed with the Deputy, my Department is providing a single combined reply to a number of separate questions on individual recommendations on the final report of the Oireachtas Committee on Autism.
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.
In 2023, my Department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113m will be dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs.
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 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
As the Deputy is aware the Joint Committee on Autism was established in 2022 to consider matters relating to the services and supports provided by the state for autistic people. In June 2023, the committee reported to both Houses of the Oireachtas with its final recommendations regarding matters relating to the services and supports provided by the state for autistic people including that of education.
In this report the committee provided 24 specific recommendations pertinent to my Department. My Department's current position on each recommendation is provided in the attached document in tabular form.
This government recognises that there are bespoke challenges facing our autistic community that need to be better addressed, for this reason, the development of a new national strategy on autism has commenced.
The Autism Innovation Strategy which is coordinated by the Department of Children Equality, Disability Integration and Youth is a cross-government initiative designed to complement and enhance existing policy frameworks. It will seek to provide for better mainstream understanding and accommodation of the needs of autistic people across the public system.
Development of the strategy is currently at an advanced stage with drafting of the strategy being finalised at present. This follows several months of engagements right across government to agree a suite of clear, simple actions that can address gaps in existing supports and services for autistic people within an 18 month timeframe.
This process has included careful consideration of the recommendations contained in the final report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism and the findings of a public consultation held in 2022.
Once drafting of the strategy is complete, there will be a further public consultation prior to the formal adoption of the Autism Innovation Strategy. Preparations for this consultation are currently underway. It is intended that implementation of the strategy will begin in early 2024.
My Department is 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.
Annex