Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his question. Obviously, planning in respect of special school placements does not relate only to Cork, but to the rest of the country as well. However, Cork and Dublin are probably the most densely populated areas, which has an impact with regard to forward planning. I am not sure if the Deputy was in the Chamber earlier on but I outlined some of the initiatives that the Department and the NCSE are taking in respect of forward planning, which was lacking in the past. We have undertaken a number of different initiatives, which are now bearing fruit in the classes we are delivering. We have 600 new special classes at primary level and 300 at post-primary level.

I will get into the detail of what is currently available in Cork but I will first very briefly outline some of the initiatives being undertaken. We have a geographical information system, which shares real-time data on the capacity we have across the schools system.

We have new technical guidance for building projects. We have future-proofing at post-primary level with the incorporation of four special classes in all new 1,000-student post-primary schools. We are working in respect of the fee-charging sector, modular accommodation, existing planning exemptions, project management support and so on. For Cork specifically, over the last three years the NCSE sanctioned 103 new special classes at primary level and 46 new special classes at post-primary level.

On special school placements, which the Deputy is asking about specifically, there are 15 special schools in Cork at present catering for 970 children. Rochestown Community Special School is to open later this year and Carrigaline school opened in 2021, as the Deputy knows. I have visited both Carrigaline Community Special School and St. Mary's Rochestown. They are doing incredible work in Cork.

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