Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 May 2022
109. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the steps that her Department is taking to ease the delays in assessment of need waiting times for children; her plans regarding the delivery of ASD units in counties Cavan and Monaghan and nationwide; and if SNA provision forms part of this plan. [23550/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Assessment of Need (AON) process is provided for under the Disability Act 2005. Assessment Officers under the remit of the HSE are charged with organising the Assessment of Need. The Assessment Officer makes the determination as to whether or not a child or young person meets the definition of disability contained in the act and coordinates and completes the Assessment Report.
Following a recent High Court ruling in October 2021 there is now a requirement on the education system to provide an assessment of Education Needs as part of the Assessment of Need Process. My Department is considering its implications. The Department are working with the Department of Health, the NCSE and the HSE and taking legal advice. I expect to receive a proposal on the matter shortly.
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.
This includes additional teaching and care supports. As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
Throughout 2020 and 2021, my Department and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school-year. I am satisfied that this more joined up approach is delivering. Through this intensive intervention, we have seen an additional 300 special classes, providing over 1,800 new places, opened nationwide for the 2021/22 school-year.
I also acknowledge that notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
The NCSE has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.
In terms of Cavan and Monaghan, I can confirm that the NCSE is aware of an identified need for additional special classes for students with autism in primary and post-primary schools. Work has been underway with stakeholders for a number of years to meet the demand for places. We are always grateful to those schools that have responded, and continue to respond positively to meet the educational needs of children in their communities.
There is currently a network of 57 special classes for students requiring an autism class placement in counties Cavan and Monaghan of which 44 are primary (including 8 Early Intervention ASD classes) and 13 are post primary. These 57 classes include 6 new autism special classes (3 at primary and 3 at post primary level) which opened in September 2021 providing 36 additional places.
Budget 2022 provided for the creation of 287 additional special classes for the 2022/2023 school year. These additional classes will provide over 1,700 new places in 2022.
The NCSE is continuing to engage with primary and post-primary schools throughout Cavan and Monaghan regarding the establishment of additional special classes for 2022/23 and beyond. There are specific plans in place to open additional special classes and every support will be made available to progress their opening in the shortest possible timeframe with a particular focus on September next. It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.
I want to reassure the Deputy 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.
