Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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410. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether she or the Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion will meet with a representative group of parents who are struggling to find an appropriate school place in September for their children with additional needs. [7536/25]

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, 602 are in County Dublin. 69 of these were newly provided 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. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children.

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 in mainstream and special schools for the 2025/26 school year. It is expected that the NCSE will sanction a number of new special classes in the coming weeks. As these classes are sanctioned the NCSE will inform parents of the location and other details as required.

My Department has requested that the NCSE make contact with the parents in the group referred to by the Deputy and meet with them this week to provide support and assistance and provide details of the new provision coming on stream 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 special educational needs organiser (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.