Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

In 2023, my department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113 million will be dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs.

This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

In 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.

Over the last number of years, my department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.

These initiatives are bearing fruit with almost 1,300 new special classes sanctioned and seven new special schools established over the last four years.

My department engage intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.

Of the 130 special school nationwide, two new special schools have been established for this current school year in Cork and Dublin, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools. Over 9,100 students are currently enrolled in special schools. The attached document provides a breakdown of the special schools and the number of provisional enrolments in each school for the 2023/24 school year.

In December 2023, I was also very happy to announce with my colleague Minister Foley, the establishment of a further four new special schools for the 2024/25 school year in Counties Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Limerick. This will bring to 11 the number of new special schools established in recent years. The special school in Meath will be located in Enfield and the special school in Wexford in Gorey. The exact locations of the special schools in Limerick and Kildare are expected to be confirmed shortly.

The new special schools are being established under the patronage of the local Education and Training Boards (ETBs) – Limerick and Clare ETB, Louth and Meath ETB, Waterford and Wexford ETB and Kildare and Wicklow ETB. These are the first special schools being established under these ETBs.

Dedicated working groups comprising of department officials, the NCSE and ETB staff have been set up to support the establishment of each new special school. Each working group has already met on a number of occasions. The admission policies of two of the special schools have been published already and the admission policies of the remaining two schools are expected to be published shortly.

The NCSE and my Department will continue to actively consider the need for additional special school places across the country. While the preference is to expand provision in existing special schools to meet needs, my Department is also open to considering the establishment of further new special schools if required. This is an ongoing process.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. The local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.

My department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.