Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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829. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of admissions for the recently announced additional needs school in Cork; the number who applied for a place; the number of applications approved; and the cost of transport provisions allocated for the students in the 2021-2022 academic year. [31976/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that Minister Foley and I have recently secured a significant expansion of special school provision in Cork through the establishment of a new special school and increased capacity in an existing special school to meet the needs of children in the Cork area.

Priority will be given to those children who currently do not have an offer of a school place for next September. The admissions process for the new places have now commenced with the publication this week of the Admissions Policy and Admissions Notice by both St Mary's Special School, Rochestown and Carrigaline Community Special School in accordance with the Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018.

While the admission policy and related details are the responsibility of the managerial authorities of the schools concerned, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will ensure that parents are made aware of and supported to access these additional places.

The provision of the additional special school placements is to cater for the immediate requirements. I can assure the Deputy that my Department and the NCSE continue to work towards the development of additional placements in the Cork area to meet ongoing and future demand.