Robert O'Donoghue (Dublin Fingal West, Labour)
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337. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the list of schools in Fingal that are on the waiting list for an ASD classroom; and the length of these waiting lists. [5769/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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As you are aware enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for government. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

Of the 3,336 special classes nationwide, for the 2024/25 school year, 156 are in the Fingal County Council local authority area, 110 at primary level and 46 at post-primary level. 17 of these are newly established for the current school year, 11 at primary level and 6 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.

The NCSE has completed over 1,000 school planning visits in recent months. These planning visits have been key to the NCSE in determining what new provision can be provided. It is expected that the NCSE will sanction a number of new special classes for the 2025/26 school year in the coming weeks.

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

My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs.

Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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338. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on her Department’s engagement with a school (details supplied) regarding a proposed extension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5777/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide 10 mainstream classrooms, 3 special education tuition room along with ancillary under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.

In October 2024 my department increased the brief of the project to include the provision for a 3 classroom special education needs (SEN) base. As the original project has been superseded by the need to accommodation special needs in the school my department now await a revised stage 1 report to include the SEN provision. Once received by my department, this report will be reviewed, and the outcome of this review will be communicated to the school authority directly.

My department has been engaging regularly with the school authority, including this week, to ensure they are fully informed of what is required and will continue to engage with the school authority to provide practical advice and assistance on this very important project.