Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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407. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to examine the case for funding for a special class for a school (details supplied);; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7463/25]

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 98 are in County Kerry, 7 of these were sanctioned for the 2024/25 school year, 5 at primary level and 2 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.

The NCSE actively encourages expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing their interest. However, it is not always possible to open a special class in every school that expresses an interest.

Over 1,000 school planning visits have ben completed by the NCSE 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.

At a local level in County Kerry 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.

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.

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.