Marie Sherlock (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to allocate a budget line to making permanent and to roll out the pilot that took place in Dublin 15, with a central allocation process for special class and special school applications. [17023/25]

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.

A taskforce to support the forward planning of special education provision in the Dublin 15 area was established last October. The Dublin 15 area has experienced significant increases in population growth in recent years, with high levels of migration into the area there is significant demand for special educational provision. The taskforce will also consider the development of a common application system for admission to primary special classes.

Of the 400 new special classes places provided for in Budget 2025, the NCSE has advised that 375 of these classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these 77 are in the county of Dublin. There are also 40 special schools in Dublin with approximately 2,600 students enrolled.

The taskforce has met seven times, their next meeting is scheduled for 28 April where it will continue to advance its programme of work. The Deputy will also be pleased, I am sure, to be aware that the NCSE has sanctioned 11 additional special classes in the area for the new school year, with more expected to be announced in the coming days. Capacity is also being expanded in Danú Community Special School and a new special school is being established close by in Lucan.

The taskforce is also working on a report with recommendations to be presented to both myself and Minister McEntee in quarter two this year.

I commend the work of primary school principals and the NCSE in supporting the establishment of the common applications trial for primary special classes. I understand that 13 school took part in the initial year of the trial. I expect the D15 Taskforce report to contain recommendations in relation to admissions.

The NCSE is leading work at local level with school principals on running the admissions trial for another year. My department are due to meet the NCSE on this matter in the coming days. The key focus of my department has been working with the NCSE and school patron bodies to secure additional special classes. This has involved extensive engagement over recent weeks and months.

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