Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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565. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a school place for a child (details supplied) with additional needs be made available for the school year 2025/2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17580/25]

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.

The NCSE has advised that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) is working closely with the student’s family regarding options for a school placement for the next academic year.

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. Through the 2,700 new places being created and the over 1,200 places in existing special classes and schools, there are close to 4,000 places available for the coming school year. This significant level of provision means that the department and NCSE have created sufficient capacity for the children whose parents and schools have identified to them as requiring a place.

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 53 are in Cork, 35 at primary and 18 at post primary level.

This will add to the 563 special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 16 special schools in Cork with approximately 1,060 students enrolled. One of the five new special schools for the 2025/26 school year will open in North Cork also. This school will open for enrolment shortly.

In Cork and indeed nationwide, the NCSE continue to engage intensely with schools and school patron bodies to confirm the remaining classes. As the NCSE progress the sanctioning of the remaining special classes they will inform parents.

My department has requested the NCSE to work closely with schools and families to ensure that these children access places as quickly as possible. My department has also written to all schools opening new special classes asking them to commence their admission processes as quickly as possible.

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

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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566. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is a minimum number of students required in a school to meet her Department criteria to open a new special class; what is the minimum number of students required to open a new special class in a mainstream school; if she will review this criteria as small rural schools are an ideal setting to meet the needs of children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17593/25]

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.

It is my department’s policy, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that students with additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes along with their peers, with additional supports provided as necessary. However, for a small minority where a mainstream class is not suitable, special classes and schools are provided.

The NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports as required. The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year and where special provision is required it is planned and established to meet that need.

My department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. Critical to this is the information held on the department's Geographical Information System (GIS), particularly in relation to student demographics. It is a key component when forecasting the need for additional special class and special school places. My department and the NCSE have undertaken analysis of the trends in special class and special school provision over recent years by county and local school planning area. In total there are 314 local school planning areas.

My department and the NCSE identify the need for special educational provision with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability.

In addition, part of the forward planning process as to where new classes, schools or expansion is required looks at how far students are travelling to access an education appropriate to their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information NCSE hold at local level on the number of children seeking a special school place in a region.

Where the NCSE has identified need the classes are established and provided resources based on the recommendations laid out in the Report of the Special Education Review Committee (SERC).

In a limited number of cases where a student would be isolated from their classmates if a special class was established, it may be more appropriate to provide additional resources such as special needs assistants and special education teachers outside of the SERC recommendations to support that student in an inclusive environment such as a mainstream class.

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.