Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

187. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that a roll number is put in place for a new school (details supplied) in County Cork. [14527/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that new schools are established to meet demographic demand. In general, the Department's policy is to integrate children with special educational needs into the mainstream school system wherever possible. Many of our schools have special education units included within them. However, Special Schools are also necessary to meet the educational needs of pupils whose needs cannot be adequately catered for in a mainstream school.

The need to establish a new special school would be identified by the National Council for Special Education in conjunction with the Department. While the National Council for Special Education has advised my Department that there is an emerging need for a small number of Special School placement options in the area to which the Deputy has referred, they have not identified a need for the establishment of a new special School in that area.

The NCSE are currently considering how the identified individual placement demands can be met.