Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)

I thank Deputy Whitmore for raising this really important issue. At the outset, I want to assure her that the Government is absolutely committed to the provision of additional special places for children with special educational needs. Budget 2026 secured funding for 3,000 new specialist places and the NCSE is currently examining where these places are best located for the coming academic year.

Deputy Whitmore raised three specific issues which I will address in turn. I have a number of pieces of information in relation to Wicklow but I will speak to the three points that the Deputy raised. The first concerned the NCSE, the new system and the letter of eligibility.

Yes, the NCSE brought in a new system. It brought in a much earlier deadline in order to be able to do exactly what the Deputy has articulated, that is, make those offers earlier to give both parents and children the certainty they deserve and need. At the moment, the NCSE has done that and it will have a clear, locally-mapped picture of local demand right across the country for special place classes for the coming academic year once it reviews and assesses the information that was provided through the parents notification portal, which, as the Deputy said, closed on 1 October. I am informed the NCSE will start sanctioning new special classes for the coming academic year shortly. The Department and the NCSE will continue to consider options for increasing special school capacity for exactly the reason the Deputy outlined, that is, to ensure capacity where there is need. This can be achieved either through the expansion of existing special schools or the establishment of new schools.

The earlier notification deadline is about getting us to that point. It was introduced this year to support forward planning and earlier equip the NCSE with the local information as to the students who will be leaving school, transitioning to post-primary specialist places, seeking specialist primary places or placement or entering education for the first time. That information is absolutely critical to examine where provision needs to be placed in order to meet demand. That information is not fully collated or assessed yet. Once the NCSE has fully collated and assessed the information, it will then be in a position to engage with the schools and the principals across the country, which the Deputy spoke about, in order to open new special classes. In doing this, the NCSE will also have due regard to any vacant places in existing special classes in an area and any places that will become available through the normal movement of children leaving primary or post-primary school.

With regard to the Deputy’s point about parents who missed that cut-off deadline, I am assured directly by the Minister and the NCSE that they will continue to support all children made known to them, whether that is after that deadline. It is important that we put this deadline in place for forward-planning purposes and that an earlier timeframe is worked to in which the NCSE has much more local knowledge and detail as soon as possible.

I appreciate the information is not online. That is probably causing an information vacuum. I am encountering it myself. Parents are coming to me saying they have missed that deadline. I have been in touch with the Minister in this regard. Ultimately, what needs to happen is that the NCSE will collate and assess the information which has gone in - it was only in the last number of weeks it has gotten the information – and it will make decisions based on that. I will also ask it to put that information up online.

In respect of SENOs refusing letters of recommendation, that is something the Deputy might raise directly with the Minister of State with responsibility for special education, Deputy Moynihan.

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