Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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199. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the SENO recommendation for two ASD classes in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43817/24]

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 me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, 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.

The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide and have advised that the school opened two autism classes in September 2023. I can also confirm that the school have submitted an Additional School Accommodation (ASA) application to my department's Planning and Building Unit. This application is currently under consideration and officials in my department have been liaising with the school regarding their application.

Over 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in recent years, in this time 11 new special schools have also been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.

48 of these classes are in County Roscommon, 7 are new for the 2024/25 school year, 6 at primary level and 1 at post-primary level.

Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide and it is estimated that a similar level of provision will be needed each year for the next 3 years.

The NCSE have recruited additional special education needs organisers (SENOs), advisors and team managers. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas. The total number of SENOs has increased from 65 to 120. These SENOs are currently visiting schools to conduct planning meetings. The NCSE plan to conduct up to 800 of these visits by the end of this month. These visits will be key in terms of forward planning for the 2025/26 school year.

My department and the NCSE are engaging with schools and school management bodies in relation to the provision of future special classes and are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.