Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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My question relates specifically to the ask for a new special school in Dublin 1. In response to a recent parliamentary question, which I submitted to the HSE about the number of children's disability network teams, CDNTs, that do not have special schools in their catchment area. We learned that, of the 93 CDNTs across the country, 16 are not in the catchment area of a special school, namely, west Limerick, west Cork, north-west Cork, east-central Cork, north Cork city and Blarney, south Cork city, Thomastown, Clonmel, New Ross, Gorey, mid-Wicklow, south Wicklow, Portarlington, Edenderry, Coolock, Blakestown and the north inner city. It is the north inner city and my own constituency in Dublin 1 in which I have a particular interest.

There are very serious consequences and impacts for those children who are currently attending CDNTs who do not have a special school in their area. We know that most special schools have an enrolment policy which will have a catchment area. Those children outside the catchment area are automatically disadvantaged. The most appalling thing about this is we are pitting kids against one another by virtue of their postcode. There is another horrible reality in Dublin in that many families are living in accommodation that is not suitable and not appropriate to their needs and not necessarily in places where they should be living or that are outside of where they want to be. They are doubly disadvantaged. The other key impact of not having a special school in the CDNT is that children are ending up in inappropriate school places. For a child with autism and co-occurring with a mild intellectual disability, they may be best suited to an autism class but they end up being put into a mainstream class and having to make do there. Alternatively, somebody with moderate autism co-occurring with moderate intellectual disability may end up in an autism class when, really, a special school is what they need. What then happens is we have an enormous stress for the child in terms of his or her ability to learn. We know of parents sitting outside during the school day because their child is not toilet trained and the parent has to come in and help with the toileting. Notwithstanding the brilliant effort of the schools and the teachers and the SNAs in Dublin 1, some of them are not equipped to deal with the level of needs they are currently having to cater for and are responsible for in their schools. The real risk is that when we have children in inappropriate places, they are put on a reduced school day, they may be suspended or, indeed expelled. That is not what we want for these children. My particular interest in Dublin 1 is borne out of the fact I have had so much contact with the mammies - some daddies, but mainly mammies - in the Dublin Central equality in education campaign. I refer to the number of children, both those wanting to start preschool who cannot find a special school place and, even more particularly, the other cohort of children we do not speak enough about, namely, those coming out of the primary school system who need to go into a special school and simply cannot find that place. We know that some special schools across Dublin city and county are discriminating based on age against those children. They are telling those children they are simply too old and prioritising those children who are younger. My plea to the Minister of State is that we need to have a special school in the Dublin 1 area. There is a special school in Dublin 7, An Cosán Community Special School, which is fantastic, but the reality is children in Dublin 1 are not being prioritised for the school in Dublin 7. They need to have their own special school.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more complex educational needs. Over 300 new special school places are being provided for the coming 2025-26 school year. Five new special schools are being established in addition to the 11 new special schools that opened over the past few years. Of these 16 new schools, six have been established in Dublin, bringing the number of NCSE-supported special schools in the county to 42. Special school capacity is also being expanded across a number of existing special schools. This means capacity across Dublin city and county will increase to over 2,700 special school places.

Of the 399 special classes sanctioned for September 2025, 98 are in County Dublin and these will be added to the existing 602 special classes currently in operation in the county.

There continues to be an increasing need to provide additional special school places to support children with complex needs. The new special schools established in recent years have focused on providing additional places in our largest urban areas, namely, Dublin and Cork. The Department of Education and Youth and NCSE have already begun planning with regard to further expanding special school capacity for the 2026-27 school year. It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required each year in the coming years.

When looking to provide additional capacity, the Department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools, if possible. Where this is not possible in a region, the Department and NCSE will consider the need to establish a new special school. In planning for increased special school places, the Department and NCSE review all the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand. The NCSE continues to monitor demand for special school places at a local and national level and is committed to ensuring that adequate provision remains nationwide.

Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State. I am conscious that he is relaying the message from the Department. It is not very heartening to see that the Department has completely ignored the specific request with regard to Dublin 1. The reality is that schools in the Dublin 1 area are having to make do in the context of a declining ratio of special needs assistants to children because the number of children needing an SNA is going up and the number of SNAs is staying the same. In addition, children are having to leave their CDNT in the Summerhill are and move to a CDNT area elsewhere in order to go to a special school or special class. The critical point here is that we know education is best when it is closest to home. We know that care is best when there is continuity of care. These children are being failed on both counts because many children who stay within the Summerhill CDNT in Dublin 1 are being put into inappropriate school places, notwithstanding the brilliant effort of the schools locally. If they have to be moved outside of the CDNT catchment area, they need to up sticks and get their care elsewhere in another CDNT. That is frankly not acceptable.

My specific and direct plea to the Minister of State, which I ask him to convey to the Minister, is that we need a special school for Dublin 1 and, indeed, for all 16 of the CDNTs that currently do not have a special school. These children are being put at a further disadvantage to the disadvantage they are already experiencing. Parents are in desperation and have to submit 20 or 30 applications to try to find a school place. My ask is that we make sure there is a special school in every CDNT.

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy took what I said as bad news. I think I gave constructive news, if she heard what I said, which is that there are 300 new special school places, which it is acknowledged are needed for those who need them, and that the Department and the NCSE in particular have proceeded to decide where they are going. I have no doubt the Department will listen to what the Deputy said in the Dáil tonight. It will look at this, as I am sure the Deputy will understand, taking a holistic and analytical approach to see where places are needed. That is going to happen.

I am glad that under the previous Government we restarted the reopening of special schools. That continues apace. We know the demand that is there at the moment. The NCSE will look at where those schools should be located. I have no doubt it will look at areas where there are no special schools if existing schools in the region cannot accommodate.

To be clear, the Department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements are available for children with special educational needs. They will continue to review and monitor the situation in County Dublin, which includes Dublin 1, and nationwide as to where new special schools are required.