Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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644. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of special classes in fee paying schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11482/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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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. Of these 208 are at primary and 101 at post primary level.

This will add to the 3,336 special classes currently in operation in the country.

The NCSE continue to engage intensely with schools and school patron bodies to confirm further classes. As the NCSE progress the sanctioning of the remaining special classes they will inform parents.

Where new special classes have been sanctioned, I would urge schools to progress the admission of students as soon as possible to ensure that the NCSE can continue to evaluate demand in local areas, sanction classes as required and assist parents in securing a school place.

Department policy is that special education provision should be made in State funded recognised schools in the first instance (essentially at post primary level these are the schools in the ‘free-scheme’). It is only where there is insufficient capacity in the free scheme schools that the NCSE will engage with fee charging schools to provide special classes. It is however recognised that in certain school planning areas, the NCSE may need to consider engaging with fee-charging schools in relation to the provision of special classes for the 2026/2027 school year and beyond.

There are approximately 50 fee-charging post primary schools. Of these, 1 school provides 2 special classes and both classes cater for pupils with autism. These 2 classes in the fee-charging school were sanctioned for opening in September 2023 as it was considered that there was insufficient provision in free schemes schools in that area to meet the special education needs.

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.