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Wednesday, 14 Oct 2020

Written Answers Nos. 1-16

Autism Support Services

Ceisteanna (8)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Ceist:

8. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the provision of ASD services in an area of County Cork (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29792/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. Next year, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special needs.

This investment will support the provision of over 1,200 additional special class places. Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country, including Cork, where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.

It is open to any school to seek to open a special class and there is a range of supports available for schools in terms of funding, specialist advice and professional development. As Minister, I have powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to direct a school to provide additional places but this power is only used as a last resort and where all reasonable efforts have failed.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. The NCSE is working with schools, patron bodies, parents and others in Cork to bring the additional special education placements on stream.

I am pleased to report that progress has been made with regard to the provision of additional special class places. However, the NCSE has identified the need for additional special school places in Cork for the current school-year. In this regard, I can confirm that my Department and the NCSE are working with the Patron and management of an existing special school on expanding its provision.

Planning is also underway to ensure that children in the Cork area are provided with a suitable placement in the next school-year. Through better planning at both national and local level, it is my objective that specialist education places should come on stream to meet emerging demand on a timely basis. However, the active collaboration of school communities is essential in this regard.

Questions Nos. 9 to 12, inclusive, answered orally.

School Transport

Ceisteanna (13)

Seán Sherlock

Ceist:

13. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that school transport provision is adequately provided for all children with disabilities. [22317/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.

My Department is very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for children with special educational needs and this is reflected in the standard of service provided. In the 2019/2020 school year there were over 14,200 children on Special Educational Needs (SEN) school transport - an increase of 4,982 children since 2013. My Department funded the School Transport Scheme in 2019 in the amount of just over €219m, with 53% of this having been allocated to spend on the transport scheme for children with special educational needs.

The purpose of the SEN Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the scheme children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.

Where practicable my Department will consider, the provision of specific or individual transport arrangements in circumstances where travel in the company of other children is not deemed feasible. In addition, there is a facility within the Special Needs Transport Scheme for the appointment of a School Bus Escort where a child’s care and safety needs while on school transport are such to require such support.

All eligible children are exempt from school transport charges and a Special Transport Grant (STG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided at the discretion of the Department in certain situations where for example the child’s care or medical needs are such as to make the provision of a transport service impracticable.

While the closing date for receipt of applications for school transport in general is the last Friday in April in any given year for the following school year, my Department accepts applications all year round for the SEN transport scheme.

I can assure the Deputy that I am satisfied that school transport provision is adequately provided for all children with disabilities.

Questions Nos. 14 to 16, inclusive, answered orally.
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