Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the provision of additional special education classes in Dublin mid west; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17874/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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111. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a list of the schools in Dublin mid west that have expressed an interest in opening a special education class, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17875/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 110 and 111 together.

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.

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. The attached list provides a list of the new classes sanctioned in Dublin to date. This list is updated by the NCSE as new classes are sanctioned.

These classes will be added to the 602 special classes already sanctioned in Dublin, 455 in primary and 147 at post-primary level.

There are also 40 special schools in Dublin with approximately 2,600 students enrolled. Two of the five new special schools for the 2025/26 school year will open in Lucan and Belmayne also. These schools will open for enrolment shortly.

In County Dublin and indeed nationwide, the NCSE continue to engage intensely with schools and school patron bodies to confirm 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.