John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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438. 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. [7967/25]

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 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.

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 school in Cork will be located in the North City area of Cork City 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 school 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.

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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439. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons that a suitable school placement has not been made available for a child (details supplied); the immediate measures her Department is taking to ensure that an appropriate educational placement, suited to their specific needs, is secured, given that a mainstream school setting is not a viable option; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7989/25]

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.

Of the 3,336 special classes nationwide, 563 are in County Cork. 66 of these are new for the 2024/25 school year, 43 at primary level and 23 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.

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.

The NCSE has advised that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) is working closely with the family of the child referred to by the Deputy regarding options for school placements and other special education supports for the coming academic 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.

The NCSE have 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.

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

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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440. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of a child (details supplied) who is not receiving education due to their needs; her views on whether this situation needs to be resolved as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7993/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department.

TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS) and the two school support services the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) scheme and the School Completion Programme (SCP). The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, parents and guardians and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people.

The EWS can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school placement for their child. Referrals to the EWS may be made throughout the school year. Once a referral is made to the EWS in respect of a child or young person with no school place, it will remain an open case until such time as a school place is offered and accepted.

The Home Tuition Grant Scheme is available to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. Home tuition is provided as an interim measure only for children for whom a placement in a recognised school is not currently available.

My Department has been informed by TESS that the child, referred to by the Deputy, has been allocated to an Education Welfare Officer, who is following up to support the parent in securing a school place for the child.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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441. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will resolve the case of a child (details supplied) who is due to start school in September but was not accepted in any ASD classes in their area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7994/25]

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, 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.

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.

The NCSE have 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.

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