Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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150. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in Mayo with a diagnosis of autism who are currently awaiting a national school place for the current school year; the number of schools in Mayo that currently have autism classes; the number of national schools in Mayo that applied to her Department for funding in the past year to open an autism classroom; the number of these applications that were successful; the additional autism classes that will be onstream in Mayo for the September 2025 intake; the number of additional places this will generate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37153/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

Over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2024/25 school year bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,333 - 2,337 at primary level and 996 at post-primary level.

Of these, 8 are in Mayo - 3 at primary and 5 at post-primary, bringing the total number of special classes in Co. Mayo to 72, 48 at primary level and 24 at post-primary level. The vast majority of these are autism classes which have a teacher/student ratio of 1:6.

Enrolments to individual schools are a matter for each board of management. The NCSE understand that there remains some capacity in special classes in some areas of Co. Mayo.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.

My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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151. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review the provision of special needs school transport for a child (details supplied); the reasons that this applicant was declined their school transport and escort for the 2024-2025 academic year; when this matter will be resolved and the appropriate school transport put in place and made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37169/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2023/24 school year over 163,800 children, including over 136,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 20,200 pupils with special educational needs, and 7,400 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.

Over 140,000 mainstream tickets have issued for the 2024/2025 school year, which is already 3% more than the total tickets issued for the full 2023/2024 school year.

The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.

Bus Éireann is very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for pupils with special educational needs under the School Transport Scheme. All services are planned to meet the individual requirements of children travelling, with the majority of services operating on a door-to-door basis.

There is a facility within the Special Educational Needs Transport Scheme for the appointment of a School Transport Escort where a child’s care and safety needs while on school transport are such as to require the support of a School Transport Escort.

It is recognised that School Bus Escorts play a vital role in supporting children with Special Educational Needs in their journey to and from school.

The Department of Education provides grant funding for the employment of the School Transport Escort and sets the rate of pay. The Board of Management/ETB are responsible for the employment of the School Transport Escort.

Bus Éireann has advised that this pupil has been deemed eligible for transport for the 2024/25 school year and is currently scheduled on a route.

The service is in place, however, the school has confirmed to officials in School Transport Section of my Department that they have not yet recruited an escort for the route. The pupil requires an escort to assist them to travel on a school transport service.

Until such time the pupil can avail of the service, the family may apply for the Special Transport Grant which is paid to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family have put in place until the service begins. This payment is based on the number of days the child attends school. School Transport Section in the Department of Education will contact the family directly with details of the grant in the coming weeks.