90. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an updated list of all primary and post-primary schools that have been sanctioned for an ASD class for the 2025-26 school year. [39382/25]

Sentiment score: 0.00

I want to ask in particular about the schools in which these works are ongoing but yet to be completed and by which a letter of suppression has been received.

Sentiment score: 0.04

I cannot accept what the Minister of State has said to me. I know what he has said to be untrue. I am happy to share information with him after this session. I have stood in a school in Athlone - Scoil na gCeithre Máistrí - that was approached by the NCSE to open a second autism spectrum disorder, ASD, class. I stood in the classroom. The plaster was drying on the wall when the letter of suppression came in from the NCSE. That class had three enrolments already. I am not saying the Minister of State is the reason behind this but what he has said does not have any credibility. I have physically stood in the classroom. I have a copy of the letter of suppression here in front of me. It was sent to the school on 3 July. It is dated 4 June. In the interim, on 8 June, that school was told to continue to go ahead with the works that were being undertaken for the ASD class. I am happy to share this with the Minister of State. I have sent in parliamentary questions and the answer I got back was less than satisfactory. It referred to "some amount." I have approached the NCSE but it has not come back to me with any details.

Sentiment score: 0.06

There are good working relationships 99% of the time between schools and the NCSE when it comes to opening ASD classes. The same can be said for this specific school in Athlone, which already has an ASD class in its Gaelscoil. However, the Minister of State is familiar with the 2022 document entitled "Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools", which clearly states that autistic students who attend Irish-medium schools should be taught through Irish, as this is the language in their school environment. I also have a copy of correspondence that clearly outlines that the NCSE strongly indicated to this school that its ASD class should be run through English. That is not acceptable. This is a Gaelscoil; all classes are taught through Irish. The NCSE has no right or authority to call into question the ethos of any school. I would put this in the same category as anybody walking into a school operating through another religion or a non-denominational school and asking it to change its ethos. It is simply not on.

Sentiment score: 0.15