Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2024
258. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education for a breakdown, by county or local authority area, of the number of children waiting for special education school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17337/24]
View answerEnabling 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 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. This will allow for, amongst other things, the opening of up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and 300 additional special school places.
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 these children.
The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.
Over the last number of 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 almost 1,300 new special classes sanctioned and seven new special schools established over the last four years.
My department engages intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
As a result of this forward planning, 390 new special classes – 254 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for this school year. Two new special schools have been established in Cork and Dublin, and further capacity is being expanded in 11 other special schools.
In addition, four new special schools will be established for the 2024/25 school year in counties Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Limerick. This will bring to 11 the number of new special schools established in recent years.
Planning for special classes and special school places is currently underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. A significant number of new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the coming school year and the NCSE advise my Department that the locations of further new classes for 2024/25 will be confirmed by the NCSE shortly.
Parents have the right to choose the school they wish their child to enrol. Enrolments to schools are a matter for each board of management and parents apply directly to schools, therefore, my department does not hold records in relation to the information requested by the Deputy.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise the parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.
