I thank the Deputy for the question, and I look forward to working with everybody in this role for the betterment of all because there are, as always, huge challenges in education, which is the bedrock of our society. The Government is fully committed to children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver this objective. Up to an additional 2,700 specialist places, made up of 400 new special classes for an average of six children each and 300 special school places, will be provided for the coming year. The NCSE has already sanctioned in excess of 209 new school classes and is engaging intensively with schools and school patron bodies to confirm additional special classes as soon as possible. On top of this, there will be well more than 1,000 places available through the normal annual movement of students progressing and graduating out of schools. There also remain special classes with vacant places in some areas of the country. Supporting the increase in provision are an additional 768 special education teachers and 1,600 special needs assistants. This means we will have more than 44,000 professionals in our education system dedicated to supporting children with special educational needs. A range of new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision was set out in Circular 0080/2024. These include new measures to address a challenge raised by the NCSE with regard to not knowing about some of the children seeking specialised placement in recent years. Parents of children with special educational needs seeking a specialised placement are now required to engage with the NCSE, so that all children who require a place for September can be supported to secure one in a timely manner. It is hugely important that we make sure those places are available in a timely manner.
Sentiment score: 0.60
As we understand it, the plans we have in place and the placements we are working on with school patrons and schools right across the country will exceed the demand and there will be sufficient places. However, we will have to work with all families and school authorities to make sure they are in place in a timely manner. We have to be better at getting information through the AIM programme and the domiciliary care scheme. All of that information has to be available at an earlier date. One of the challenges we face is ensuring that places are made available to families and children with additional needs in a timely manner. We have to push back on that date. We have had serious engagement with the Department and the NCSE over recent weeks to make sure that is done in a timely fashion because families need to know. We are working through that in a very serious way right now and will continue to do so in the coming weeks.
Sentiment score: 0.21
Everything that is needed is being put in place. This includes school buildings and spare capacity in schools. If necessary, section 37A will be invoked to ensure we have places. The Department and the NCSE are extremely serious about making sure that this is done. They have been working very hard over recent weeks to bring that about and will continue to do so in the coming weeks. I understand that the NCSE has engaged with parents over recent days in respect of the protest. It will be engaging with all parents, families and communities to make sure that we look after the most vulnerable children who are looking for specialised places or specialised classes. We are working with might and main to ensure that happens in a timely fashion.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I thank the Deputy for the question. My clear understanding is that there is no proposed reduction in special education teaching, SET, hours for the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2025-26 school year. This school has seen a reduction of over 2% in enrolments since the 2024-25 school year and its SET allocation remains at 22.5 hours for the 2025-26 school year. The special education teaching allocation model is a standardised allocation model that provides schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of students in mainstream classes. The allocation model uses a variety of statistical data to complete allocations. This includes enrolment data, educational needs profiles, which consist of literacy and numeracy data, and data on educational disadvantage. This data is sourced from within the education sector to ensure it is validated and accurate. For the 2025-26 school year, close to 15,000 special education teachers have been allocated to schools. Almost 86% of schools will see either an increase in their allocation of hours or retain their previous allocation. For the schools where there has been a reduction, this is driven by demographic change in the area and a reduction of enrolments in the school. The vast majority of these schools will see a reduction of five hours or less. Where schools believe they need additional SET teaching resources, they can apply to the NCSE for a review and, if they are needed, these will be provided in advance of the next school year.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I come from a very rural community myself and I see the fantastic work that is being done right across the education sector in both rural and urban areas. Practitioners at school level, teachers, SET teachers and special needs assistants, make an enormous contribution. The method of allocating SET hours is very carefully monitored and has been over many years, going back to the time of resource teachers. A model has been brought in that fairly and accurately reflects the needs within the school community. I reiterate that there is no proposed reduction in the SET hours for this school in the 2025-26 school year.
Sentiment score: 0.17
It is vitally important that all schools, including rural schools, are protected. Many smaller rural schools provide fantastic facilities. Where children who have additional needs go to rural schools, the school community is smaller. Those schools work extremely well. I take the point that these schools support everybody. As the population grows, it is important that rural schools and urban schools are all protected because they are all vital pieces of infrastructure. I would like to see the letter the Deputy has in this regard.
Sentiment score: 0.44
I have no difficulty with that but our information clearly states that there is no reduction in SET hours for the 2025-26 school year.
Sentiment score: -0.14