Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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198. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department considers rule 64 (1) of the rules for national schools a barrier that prevents pupils with moderate intellectual disabilities in special schools access to transition year, as it states that a pupil may not be retained on the rolls after the 18th anniversary of their birth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6874/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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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 me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

Special schools funded by my department are classified as primary national schools. They are intended, in accordance with the provisions of rule 64(1) of the Rules for National Schools, to provide an education to children and young people, with special educational needs, aged from 4 years to until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.

Special schools may however seek approval from my department for an exemption from rule 64(1) in respect of students over the age of 18 who are pursuing courses leading to accreditation on the National Qualifications Framework (e.g. Junior Certificate/Leaving Cert Applied/QQI Level 3).

A request for an exemption from rule 64(1) can only be made by a school where in addition to the above:

• The student requires one additional year in order to complete their course
• Retaining the student in the school for another school year will not prevent a younger student being enrolled there, and
• Plans are in place to transition the student to a post-school setting at the end of 2024/2025 school year

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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199. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children the National Council for Special Education has identified in Dublin 15 that require a place in a special class or special school for September 2025; the number that have secured places; the number that do not have one, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6926/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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200. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new special classes and new classes in special schools that will be opened in Dublin west for September 2025 across secondary and primary levels. [6927/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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201. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the schools in Dublin west that are opening new special classes for September 2025 to cope with levels of demand. [6928/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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202. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the National Council for Special Education and the Department of Education building unit are aware of the number of children in Dublin 15 who require a school place for September 2025; and whether they have a plan in place to deliver on this demand.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6929/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the National Council for Special Education and her Department have a plan for all the children who need a special class or special school place for September 2025 in Dublin 15; and if so, if she will share the details of same. [7027/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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212. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions expected from the Dublin 15 taskforce; and when a report or interim report is due. [7028/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 199, 200, 201, 202, 211 and 212 together.

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive a befitting 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).

My department’s Special Education Section and Planning and Building Unit work closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places.

Of the 3,336 special classes nationwide, 602 are in County Dublin. 69 of these are new for the 2024/25 school year, 48 at primary level and 21 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.

A new taskforce to support the forward planning of special education provision in the Dublin 15 area has been established. The Dublin 15 area has experienced significant increases in population growth in recent years, with high levels of migration into the area and includes areas with social disadvantage.

The taskforce will also consider the development of a common application system for admission to primary special classes. The voice of parents will be a key component of the taskforce. Parent representation on the taskforce includes representatives from the Autism School Dublin 15 (ASD15) group, the National Parents Council and parents from the local area. The taskforce will conclude its work and make recommendations to the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion in Q2 2025.

Ahead of the new school year, and in accordance with a new circular letter issued by my Department, parents of children requiring a specialist placement were asked to notify the NCSE. The NCSE advise my Department that through this process and through their direct involvement in the new common applications trial for special classes places among 13 primary schools in the D15 area, they have a detailed account of the need for special class and special school places for the coming school year.

The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required in the local area and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. The NCSE continue to work very closely with my Department and a number of accommodation solutions are being progressed to ensure additional primary special class, post-primary special class and special school capacity in the area. 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.

Additional classroom accommodation is also being provided to Danú special school and the new special school being established in Lucan for the coming school year will also provide placement opportunities for some students in the greater D15 and West Dublin area.

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

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

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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203. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the exact location of the new special school in Cork which is due to open in September 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6969/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for government. 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 the NCSE hold at local level on the number of children seeking a special school place in a region.

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 special schools will be located in the North Cork City area and the final details in relation to the exact location will be confirmed very shortly.

Dedicated working groups have been established by my department to work through the details in relation to the establishment of the new special schools.

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.

Parents and families looking to apply for admission to the new special school will be supported and guided by the NCSE at a local level and kept updated on developments.