More than 700 children with special educational needs do not have school places

At least 210 children do not have a school place and over 500 are without early intervention support

More than 730 children with special educational needs are not in school or in an early intervention class and are instead receiving home tuition as they do not have a school place.

This includes 210 children who are without a school place, and 522 children who are without early intervention support, which is offered to children between the age of three and six.

Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central Pádraig O'Sullivan said home tuition cannot replicate formal education. File picture: Larry Cummins

The figures were released via a parliamentary question to Pádraig O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central, who asked for the number of children with special educational needs who are currently not in school.

“Home tuition isn’t an appropriate setting when school places should be made available for people," Mr O'Sullivan said. 

"Home tuition doesn’t replace or replicate the formal education that a child is entitled to.” 

'Good news stories'

There have been a couple of recent “good news stories” in relation to the provision of additional school places in Cork with the opening of a new special school due this September.

But obviously nationally, this is also a problem. In light of the issues in Cork, I was contacted also by people from Kildare and Meath experiencing similar so there is obviously massive pressure for places.” 

It’s clear there is a deficit in terms of providing early intervention support, he added. 

“If you can get an early diagnosis, get the treatments and therapies that you require, it's imperative.” 

"To be fair, I must acknowledge that we have had more resources than ever pumped into this sector, but at the same time, I don’t think that hides from the fact that there are more and more people getting diagnosed every year and that there will be more resources required as well.”

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A further breakdown of the 210 children of school-going age receiving home tuition includes 88 children with no special school placement, 37 children who turn six during the year, and a further 85 children who are over the age of six without a school place. 

In her response to Mr O'Sullivan, Special Education Minister Josepha Madigan said it is the policy of her department that all children with special education needs have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.

My department’s policy focuses on ensuring that all students with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to meeting their needs and abilities.

"It is important to note that home tuition funding is not an alternative to a school placement, by its nature, it is intended to be a short-term intervention."

Home tuition

Home tuition will not be available where a school placement has been identified by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). 

"Similarly, failure to enrol a child in school will not give rise to eligibility under this scheme." 

The NCSE is responsible for the development and coordination of education services to children with special educational needs. 

When the NCSE confirms that no placement is available for a child, the department can provide home tuition grant funding towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition a week as an interim measure until a placement becomes available.