Pat Buckley (Cork East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

437. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will intervene in the case of a child (details supplied) and allocate them a place in an early intervention class. [15823/25]

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

Enabling children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

As your query refers to an individual placement, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

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 51 are in County Cork, 33 at primary and 18 at post primary level.

There are 614 special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 16 special schools in Cork with approximately 1,000 students enrolled. One of the five new special schools for the 2025/26 school year will open in North Cork. This school will open for enrolment shortly.

In County Cork and indeed nationwide, 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.

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.

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

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

438. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) can get assisted technology and an SNA, following recommendation by the occupational therapist after assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15824/25]

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.

Special need assistants (SNAs) are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the children enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

The NCSE will shortly publish SNA allocations for the 2025/26 school year. If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website. Each case is individually assessed and is based on the student profile of each school.

The Assistive Technology Scheme is provided by my department to supplement the overall approach to providing funding to schools for digital technology and equipment to support children for education purposes and is a critical enabler for those with special educational needs to gain the maximum benefit from a modern technologically focused education system.

Where children with more complex disabilities require essential specialist equipment to access the school curriculum, which they do not already have, or which cannot be provided for them through the schools' existing provisions, schools may make an application for such equipment to the NCSE under the terms of this scheme.

Schools make applications directly to the NCSE, providing details of the student’s special educational needs or disability, including details of the approach taken by the school in making relevant interventions.

In order to qualify for equipment under the Assistive Technology Scheme, a student must have been diagnosed with a physical or communicative disability and must also have a recommendation in a professional assessment that the equipment is essential in order to allow the student to access the curriculum.

A review of the scheme is currently undergoing. It is expected that the scheme will transition from a diagnosed-based system to a needs-based, child-centric system, better aligning with departmental policy. The review is expected to be completed this year with another key goal of this review being to streamline the application process.

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.