Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 June 2022
378. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the number and the percentage of the national total of fee-paying schools that currently provide special classes in post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31411/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra380. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the steps that are being taken to encourage fee paying schools to provide special autism spectrum disorder classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31417/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 378 and 380 together.
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 coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.
Over the last two years, 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 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.
It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school.
The NCSE through their network of SENOs (Special Educational Needs Organisers) are currently engaged in a process of establishing new classes for the 2022/2023 school year and beyond. They are looking at local information in relation to projected demand for future special class places.
Parents seeking special class or school placements for their children are advised to contact NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes.
In March last, I announced for the first time that special education provision would open with the fee charging patron, the Spiritan Education Trust. I welcome the memorandum of understanding with the Spiritan Order, which marks for the first time that schools such as these will be part of the provision of special education in Ireland without barriers to entry for those who need a place. Under this arrangement, a new special school will be established in the 2022-23 school year in the existing accommodation at the Templeogue College campus in Dublin.
My Department, working with NCSE, will also support special classes in other fee-charging schools as needed. This is a much-needed development which will help to meet the demand for special class places.
The NCSE publishes a list of special classes in tabular form on its website each year, the list is available at the following link: ncse.ie/special-classes.
