Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the location of a new special school to be opened on Cork’s northside in 2025; when applications will open for same; and the number of places that will be available. [8752/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

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 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.

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.