Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

584. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills why a directive was given to a school (details provided) to no longer allow SNA positions to be filled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11018/25]

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

585. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a freeze has been implemented on the hiring of SNAs for vacant or sanctioned positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11019/25]

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

I propose to take questions Nos. 584 and 585 together.

This Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream classes, special classes and special schools, ensuring that these students can access education to enable them to achieve their full potential. There are now more than 22,000 SNAs in our education system, with an additional 1,600 funded for the 2025/2026 school year, the highest ever increase.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with care needs, including the allocation of SNAs and associated reviews.

I can confirm that my department issued no such directive to the NCSE to freeze allocations in relation to any special education resourcing requirement, including SNAs. The NCSE is responsible for managing the allocation of such resources to schools in line with the overall allocations provided annually under the budgetary process.

I requested an explanation from the NCSE as to how a school was given this incorrect information. The NCSE has stated that no freeze or any inference of this nature was referenced at any stage in staff briefings regarding the NCSE approach to either school initiated, or NCSE initiated, SNA reviews. They have also confirmed that communications are being issued to all Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO) and SENO Team Managers on this matter.

I have requested the NCSE to respond to you directly in relation to the school you referred to.

My Department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

586. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline a list of the new sanctioned special educational needs classes for the coming academic year 2025-2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11020/25]

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

This Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now just over 28,000 students enrolled in special classes and special schools. Budget 2025 provides for an additional 2,700 specialist places, made up of 400 new special class and 300 additional special school places. On top of this, there will be over 1,000 places available through the normal annual movement of students progressing from primary to post-primary and students graduating from post-primary or special schools. There also remains special class vacancies in some areas of the country.

Of the 400 new special classes places provided for in Budget 2025, the NCSE has advised that 309 of these classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year, 208 at primary and 101 at post primary level. The NCSE publish a revised list of new special classes on a regular basis and this can be assessed on their website, www.ncse.ie

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (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 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.

Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

587. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the location and student enrolment figure for the new special school for Cork for the academic year 2025-2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11021/25]

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

This Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

There continues to be an increasing need to provide additional special school places to support children with complex needs. To meet this need, eleven new special schools have been established in recent years and capacity has been expanded in a number of others. Five more special schools will be established for the 2025/26 school year in counties, Cork, Dublin (2), Monaghan and Tipperary.

The new special schools established over recent years have focused on providing additional places in our largest urban areas – Dublin and Cork. The department and NCSE have already begun planning in relation to further expanding special school capacity for the 2026/27 school year. It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required each year for the coming years.

When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible. Where this is not possible in a region, the department and NCSE will consider the need to establish a new special school.

The new special school in Cork will be located in North Cork City area and will operate under the patronage of Cork Education and Training Board (CETB). Dedicated working groups have been established by my department to work through the details in relation to the establishment of the new special schools, including the new special school in County Cork.

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 schools to open as quickly as possible.

The exact initial capacity of each special school, including the new school in Cork will be considered further and confirmed shortly. Special schools generally operate on the basis of 1 teacher and at least 2 SNAs per class grouping of 6 children. Further supports can be provided if required to meet the needs of the children enrolling in the school.

Parents and families looking to apply for admission to the new special school will be supported and guided by the NCSE at local level and kept updated on developments. The NCSE are holding information events with interested parents of children who may require a special school place.

In addition to the new special school being established, plans are being progressed to add additional capacity in other special schools in Cork. The NCSE have also now sanctioned 50 new special classes for the coming year across schools in Cork as well.

My Department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.