Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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609. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason funding has yet to be provided to a school (details supplied) to provide ASD classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1333/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that an application was received in April 2021 from the school in question for three Special Classes under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme.

The purpose of the Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area.

In 2021 the department’s Technical team carried out an in-depth review of the school site given the site is restricted. The review confirmed that the school and the site are at maximum capacity and that it would not be possible to provide the required accommodation on site unless vast amounts of existing single storey accommodation was to be demolished and replaced with two storey accommodation. At that time, considering all the relevant impediments to deliver the brief of accommodation and the site constraints, the department was not in a position to provide funding for the significant demolition of the school building. In light of this, officials in the department contacted the NCSE to advise them of same and to establish the special classes in other schools in the area.

Subsequently, funding was approved under the ASA Scheme in June 2022 for the replacement of a dilapidated prefab on site with one Modular Unit to accommodate 4 Special education teachers.

I can advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE). This includes the establishment of special class and special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.

The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for government. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) are at unprecedented levels. Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, 11 new special schools have been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.

The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required for the 2025/26 school year in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. The NCSE will progress the sanctioning of new special classes over the coming weeks and will advise parents in turn on the location of new special classes.

Furthermore I am pleased to advise the Deputy that another school in the Ballincollig School Planning area has been identified as having suitable capacity to accommodate special education classrooms required for the area and a proposed accommodation brief has been sent to that school for their consideration.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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610. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being taken to ensure a special school place for 2025-2026 for a child (details supplied). [1334/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for government. Thanks to considerable investment in special education in recent years 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 National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

The NCSE has advised my department that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) has been in ongoing communication with the student’s parent in relation to securing a special school placement and remain available to the family to provide any further support and assistance required.

A total of 120 SENOs now operate nationwide, 18 of these are operating solely in County Cork. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas and are currently visiting schools nationwide to conduct planning meetings. These visits are key in terms of forward planning for the 2025/26 school year. The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. They will advise on the location of new special classes for the 2025/26 school year in the coming months.

Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, 11 new special schools have been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.

563 of these classes are in County Cork, 66 are new for the 2024/25 school year, 43 at primary level and 23 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local 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.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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611. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if capital funding will be provided to a school (details supplied) to provide ASD classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1335/25]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that my department is in receipt of an Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) application from the school in question.

The main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on the provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs.

The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for government. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) are at unprecedented levels.

In 2024, the department spent over €2.7 billion on special education and further progress will be made in 2025 as an additional €159 million has been dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs.

Over a quarter of the entire education budget has been dedicated to special education in recent years.

The main supports this funding provides for are special classes, SNAs and special education teachers.

The NCSE has advised that there are 3,336 special classes in operation nationwide for this school year. These classes can provide for over 21,000 students. 408 of these are new for the current school year – 289 at primary and 119 at post-primary level.

Of the 124 special schools nationwide, 4 special schools have been established for this school year and further capacity has being expanded in 11 other special schools. Five more will be added for the 2025/26 school year in counties Cork, Dublin, Monaghan and Tipperary. This will bring to 16 the number of new special schools opened in recent years. Over 9,000 students are currently enrolled in special schools.

An additional €159 million in funding will be made available to provide for a further 768 teachers, and a further 1,600 SNAs to be recruited in 2025, to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs.

In addition, a dedicated special education innovation fund in recognition of the need to continually evolve and examine best practice to support children with special educational needs has received funding. Funding has been secured for targeted measures to help children with special educational needs with planning and transitioning to and from the various level of our education system. It has also been provided for supporting teachers and SNA’s in their enhanced training requirements.

The largest investment in the Summer Programme has also been secured.

This €62 million investment will allow the department to continue to prioritise the most vulnerable children in our society, those with the most complex special educational needs and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to access the additional support that they need during the summer.

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the application from the school in question has been assessed and a proposed accommodation brief has been sent to the school for their consideration.