Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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100. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has plans to establish a special school in Monaghan for children aged four to 18 years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30499/24]

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.

My department and the NCSE continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools and the expansion of existing special schools in all areas of the country including County Monaghan.

In planning for increased special school places, the department and NCSE review all of the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand.

My department and the NCSE are progressing this review work ahead of determining where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established for the 2025/26 school year.

It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required nationwide each year for the coming years. When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible.

An important consideration when deciding to establish or expand provision in an existing special school is the distances that some students are travelling in order to access a special school placement.

My department and the NCSE are continually reviewing where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established over the coming years.