296. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the total weekly special education teacher (SET) allocation to primary schools increased from approximately 230,633 hours in 2017 to 247,033 hours in 2026/2027, while the reported number of children receiving special educational needs support increased from approximately 70,000 to 250,000 over the past decade; if her Department has assessed the adequacy of SET allocations (details supplied); and if she will publish the findings of the assessment; and the measures being taken to ensure that schools receive sufficient SET hours to meet the identified needs of their pupils. [75323/26]

At the outset I would like to clarify some of the details provided in the question.

Following the introduction of the unified special education teaching allocation model in 2017, it was estimated that approximately 166,000 students were receiving additional teaching support in mainstream education. It is now estimated that approximately 250,000 of the school going population may require additional support. This would include children in mainstream, special classes and special schools.

The primary responsibility for the education of all pupils, including those with special education learning needs is the class teacher or subject teacher.

The Special Education Teacher (SET) allocation model is a standardised allocation model that provides schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of students in mainstream classes. For the 2026/27 school year there are more 15,000 special education teachers allocated to schools to support children and young people in mainstream classes with an identified learning need.

The special education teaching (SET) allocation provides schools with additional teaching hours to support the learning needs of students in mainstream classes who have been identified using the Continuum of Support framework as requiring additional support.

Across all provision, including special schools and special classes, the number of Special Education Teachers allocated across the education system has increased by over 54% since 2017 so that we will have 24,000 special education teachers in our schools in September 2027.

It is important to note that each year when SET allocations are issued, any school who believes that their allocation is insufficient to meet the learning needs of pupils can request a review of their allocation by the NCSE. If the review identifies that additional resources are required, they will be allocated.