Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

488. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding that has been provided in Budget 2025 towards the provision of a special school in County Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46425/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

489. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the announcement that a special school in County Monaghan will be located in Castleblayney, the exact location proposed for the school; the date of opening; the number of children that will be facilitated in the school upon opening; the number of staff and each staff role that will be provided at the school upon opening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46426/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

490. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the announced approval of a special school in County Monaghan, the criteria that will be applied for successful applicants; if she can assure that the school be accept applications relating to all children with profound special needs including those with autism and those without autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46427/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

491. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process which determined that Monaghan would be allocated a special school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46428/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

492. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the announcement that a special school in County Monaghan will be located in Castleblayney, if the school will be housed in permanent buildings upon opening; if not, if it will be based in temporary units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46429/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 488, 489, 490, 491 and 492 together.

My department works closely with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. Building on successive budgets, Budget 2025 secured funding for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children.

Part of the forward planning process as to where new classes, schools or expansion is required looks at how far students are travelling to access an education appropriate to their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information NCSE hold at local level on the number of children seeking a special school place in a region.

Almost 1,700 new special classes have been opened over the last 5 years and 11 new special schools have been established in recent years. For this school year alone, over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned with classes provided in every county. Four new special schools also opened in counties Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Limerick.

As you are aware five new special schools will be established for the next school year, two in County Dublin and one each in counties Cork, Monaghan and Tipperary. This will bring to 129 the number of NCSE supported special schools in the county.

The new special school in Monaghan will be located in Castleblaney and will operate under the patronage of Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB). Dedicated working groups have been established by my department to work through the details in relation to the establishment of the new special schools, including the new special school in County Monaghan.

It is envisaged that existing buildings will be repurposed, in the first instance, to facilitate the opening of the new special schools for the 2025/26 school year. This will allow the schools to open as quickly as possible.

The exact initial capacity of each special school, including the new school in Monaghan will be considered further and confirmed shortly. Special schools generally operate on the basis of 1 teacher and at least 2 SNAs per class grouping of 6 children. Further supports can be provided if required to meet the needs of the children enrolling in the school.

Parents and families looking to apply for admission to the new special school will be supported and guided by the NCSE at local level and kept updated on developments. The NCSE are holding information events with interested parents of children who may require a special school place.