Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. The Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to reach their full potential. In the programme for Government, we have a number of commitments in that regard. Dedicated working groups have been established by the Department of Education to work through the details relating to the establishment of the five new special schools for the 2025-26 school year, including the new special school in County Monaghan. In the previous Dáil, I had the honour of chairing the disability committee and many of the groups that appeared before us spoke about the need for a special school in County Monaghan. The Deputy's colleague in the Seanad, Senator Tully, who was Leas-Chathaoirleach of our committee, was to the fore at the committee on that issue.

We are establishing a new special school in County Monaghan under the patronage of Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board. This is a new school to be located in Castleblayney. It is a former school property, which is being repurposed to facilitate the opening of a new school. A principal for the new special school is currently being recruited. This role is critical to the special school's advancement of its enrolment policies and procedures as agreed with the school patron. The school will provide for students with a diagnosis of autism and complex learning needs, or students with complex learning needs with a professional recommendation for a special school. I understand that the school will initially admit 18 students and the application window for admissions closed last week. A number of information events for parents were held jointly by the ETB and the NCSE in recent weeks.

The Deputy asked a specific question. At most of the departmental meetings, we discuss all of the special schools that are being established. The Department is keeping Cavan-Monaghan, and the Monaghan region in particular, under constant review as regards the number of children who will need a special school in the coming year.

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