Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the Autism Class Application Trial, which is being run by primary schools in Dublin 15; if her Department has signed off on the relevant documents for phase 2; if not, the reason therefore; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17223/25]

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. 2,700 new places are being created and these together with the over 1,200 existing places available for enrolment will mean there is 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 as requiring a place.

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 in the area. 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 352 of these classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these 66 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 Danu 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 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.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she supports the objective of providing an additional needs class for every school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17230/25]

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.

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, 264 at primary and 111 at post primary level. This will add to the 3,335 special classes currently in operation in the country. More will be sanctioned in the coming days. 300 new special schools places have also been provided through the expansions of existing schools and the addition of five new schools.

It is expected that this level of provision will be required for the next few years and that demand for special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly. This is due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates. It is expected that each post-primary school will need to provide four special classes to meet this demand. The department have communicated this forecast to all post-primary schools and asked them to start preparing for this provision.

The focus at primary level is on medium and larger (Principal + 8 teachers) primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class. This will ensure that classes can open quickly as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner but also ensure that more schools provide special education provision. However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation and where there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.

It is accepted that all medium sized primary schools should have at least 1 special class with larger primary schools having more. My Department wrote to all post-primary schools in 2022 asking them to prepare to provide at least 4 special classes each on average.

The NCSE is now examining where provision is required for the 2026/27 school year and which schools have capacity to expand. My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs.