Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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386. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if an appropriate school place in a special class will be provided for a child (details supplied). [7157/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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As you are aware enabling children with special educational needs to receive a befitting 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.

They advise that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) is working closely with the student’s family regarding options for school placements and other special education supports for the coming academic year.

Of the 3,336 special classes nationwide, 131 are in County Kildare. 16 of these were newly sanctioned for the 2024/25 school year, 12 at primary level and 4 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.

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. 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.

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 SENO's 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.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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387. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional special classes will be provided in a school (details supplied). [7158/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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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).

Of the 3,336 special classes nationwide,131 are in County Kildare. 16 of these were newly sanctioned for the 2024/25 school year, 12 at primary level and 4 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.

The NCSE advise that there is extensive engagement over many months occurring between the NCSE, the school referred to by the Deputy and the school's patron body regarding the establishment of two new special classes. It is hoped that the classes can be confirmed shortly and will be open to admit children for the coming school year. My Department has committed to undertaking significant reconfiguration works to provide two special classes and ancillary spaces.

At a local level in County Kildare and indeed nationwide the NCSE is examining which schools have capacity to expand and are targeting medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class for the 2025/26 school year. This will ensure that classes can open quickly as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner.

However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level and there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.

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.

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.

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