Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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89. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills where exactly the new special school in County Kildare is to be located; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30082/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Special education is a key priority for Government, underpinned by over a quarter of the entire education budget.

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.

The new special school planned for Kildare along with three others in counties Limerick, Meath and Wexford was announced on the 6 December 2023. Working groups to support the establishment of each special school were established and these groups continue to meet on an ongoing basis.

The initial location of all four special schools has been confirmed. For Kildare, the initial start-up location will be at Craddockstown Education Campus beside Naas Community National School. My department continues to examine potential sites for the school's long-term location and this will be confirmed in due course.

The patron, Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB), is currently progressing the recruitment of teaching and special need assistant (SNA) staff for the school. The school will initially enrol 24 students for the 2024/2025 school year and the admissions process is currently underway.

Looking forward, my department and the NCSE have begun preparatory work in relation to planning for the provision of further new special class and special school places for the 2025/26 school year and beyond.