Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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412. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the application for funding to provide a SEN classroom in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15422/25]

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 352 of these classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these 228 are at primary and 108 at post primary level. Of these 66 are in County Dublin, 48 at primary and 18 at post primary level. This will add to the 602 special classes currently in operation in the county.

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. While the current focus is on securing further primary special classes, it is considered that additional post-primary special classes will be a key focus for the school year 2026/2027 and beyond.

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.

Departmental policy is that special education provision should be made in State funded recognised schools (free-scheme schools) in the first instance. It is only where there is insufficient capacity in free scheme schools that the NCSE will engage with fee charging schools in order 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 2026/27 school year and beyond.

The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision.

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