Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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590.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children who are recorded as being without an appropriate special education classroom place in each county; the longest and average waiting times for securing an appropriate special education classroom place in each county; and the number of requests by schools or parents for initiation of the section 37a process in each year since the Government took office in each county, in tabular form. [30934/24]

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 works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places.

402 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2024/25 school year, 284 at primary and 118 at post primary level, providing over 2,400 special education places in mainstream schools.

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.

I am determined to ensure that all children who require a placement can access this as quickly as possible. I meet with NCSE weekly to discuss progress and to ensure that every child has a school place for the coming term.

The NCSE continue to be notified where schools are completing the enrolment process to special classes as children move from primary to post primary or leave our school system. These places continue to be filled on an ongoing basis.

The NCSE is working with schools who may be available to open classes for September 2024 but may not be required at this time. They will remain options for additional provision if required throughout the 2024/25 school year.

I am satisfied that we have created the additional capacity required to meet the needs of children known to the NCSE for September 2024.

The enrolment process for school places and decisions on admission rests with individual schools. Therefore, the position for each child will continue to evolve as the ongoing enrolment process concludes.

Under Section 37A of the Education Act there is power to direct a school to provide additional places but this power is only used as a last resort where all reasonable efforts have failed.

This legal power to compel schools to open new special classes is only used where;

• there is established need for additional places in an area,
• it is considered that the schools involved have capacity to open the additional classes
• all reasonable efforts have been made to support the school in making the required provision.