Education: Special Needs Class Requirements 8th October 2013

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to
be in a position to ensure the provision of the maximum number of special needs
school places in the coming year, notwithstanding budgetary constraints which
he inherited; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Bernard J. Durkan.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to
be able to meet the demand in respect of special needs classes in all schools
throughout the country in both rural and urban areas in the current year; and
if he will make a statement on the matter.
-Bernard J. Durkan.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he intends to
provide for the maximum number of special needs teachers throughout the
educational sector with particular reference to meeting emerging demands; and
if he will make a statement on the matter.
-Bernard J. Durkan.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to
be able to respond positively to meeting the needs of the various school
authorities at primary and second level throughout the country in respect of
special needs teachers and required school places in each of the next two
years; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
-Bernard J. Durkan.

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to
be in a position to meet the special needs class requirements at primary and
second level throughout County Kildare in the coming year; and if he will make
a statement on the matter.
-Bernard J. Durkan.

* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 8th October, 2013.
Reference Number: 42449/13, 42450/13, 42451/13, 42453/13, 42456/13

I propose to take questions 251, 252, 253, 255 and 258 together.

The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to the protection of
frontline services for pupils with special educational needs. The level of
resources devoted to supporting children with Special Educational Needs has
been maintained at €1.3 billion this year. This includes provision for 10,575
Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), over 10,300 Learning Support and Resource
Teachers, provision for over 740 Special Classes attached to mainstream schools
at reduced pupil teacher ratios, enhanced capitation for special schools and
special classes and provision for assistive technology support.

The level of investment being provided will ensure that provision can continue
to be made to provide for the educational requirements of children with special
educational needs, enrolled in all schools, to ensure that children with
special educational needs can continue to have access to educational facilities
in line with their requirements.

The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs
should be included in mainstream placements with additional supports provided.
All schools and all school places are therefore available for children with
special educational needs to be enrolled to. Supports will continue to be
allocated to schools to support pupils with special educational needs.

SNA support will continue to be allocated to schools to ensure that all
children who qualify for access to SNA support for the current school year will
receive access to such support. To date the NCSE has allocated 10,480 SNA posts
to schools. The remaining posts are available for allocation throughout the
school year for new assessments of disability, new entrants, or emergency or
late applications, in accordance with the terms of the SNA scheme.
 
Additional resource teaching support will continue to be allocated to schools.
In line with my decision in June to authorise the NCSE to maintain the level of
resource teaching allocations to be provided for students with special
educational needs for the current school year to the 2012/13 levels, 5,284
whole time equivalent resource teaching posts have been allocated to schools at
this point. Further resource teaching posts will be allocated when the NCSE has
processed applications received to 20th September, 2013.

In circumstances where children with special educational need require more
specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also
available. 740 Special Classes are being provided for mainstream schools for
the current school year. This includes 118 new special classes which have been
opened this year.

The provision that is being made for special educational needs support will
ensure that special needs class requirements at primary and second level,
including in County Kildare, can continue to be fully met this school year.