Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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279. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the teaching measures that will be put in place for a student (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19509/23]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs 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).

For 2023, the spend by my department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my department will spend over €2.6 billion providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and their schools.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the department’s total allocation for 2023.

This includes funding to support children with SEN in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants.

The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with SEN nationwide.

My department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class and special school places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, consideration of school accommodation capacity and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.

If the recent growth in the need for special classes continues, it is expected that a similar level of new special classes will be needed at primary level over the next three years as have been provided over the last three years. At post-primary level however, it is expected that we will need to double the number of new special classes being provided over the next three years as compared to the last three years.

As both Minister Foley and I announced recently on 12 April, 2 new special schools are being established for the 2023/2024 school year - one in Carrigtwohill, east Cork and one in the Dublin 7 area - with additional capacity being provided in 11 other special schools.

For the 2023/2024 school year the NCSE have sanctioned 218 new special classes nationwide at primary and post-primary level for the coming school year 2023/2024. Of these new classes, 11 are in Co. Donegal, with 7 at primary level and 4 at post-primary level. These new classes will bring the total number of special classes in Co. Donegal to 108, 64 at primary and 44 at post-primary. Additional special classes will be sanctioned in the coming weeks.

Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes are available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.

My department is committed, in conjunction with the NCSE, to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.

As your query refers to an individual placement case, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.