Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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206. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the situation whereby several children are due to repeat sixth class due to the lack of secondary school places in special education schools in Dublin 8, 10 and 12; the measures she is taking to tackle this shortage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27926/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, 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 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.

383 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2024/25 school year, 114 of these are at post primary level. The NCSE continue to engage with some schools to ensure that a sufficient level of provision is available for September, this includes some post-primary schools in South Dublin.

The NCSE is confident that through the provision of the newly sanctioned classes and vacancies in existing classes there is sufficient places to meet the needs of all children known to them for September 2024.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.

I have asked the NCSE to ensure any remaining classes are established as a matter of urgency and to keep all families seeking class places updated on an ongoing basis to ensure their children can access the provision to which they are entitled.

Looking forward demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates. My department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary school management bodies in relation to the provision of special classes in these schools. In October 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools asking them to begin to prepare on average 4 special classes each over the next few years.

In addition, significant additional resources and funding of €13 million has been allocated to the NCSE to allow for the expansion of its services, which will bolster the level of service and provide effective structures to relieve pressure on parents when seeking a special educational placement.