Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

229. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 375 of 4 March 2025, the status of the engagements undertaken with the school to date to progress the school’s development plan. [18230/25]

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.

The department continues to engage with the school to progress the application for the provision of additional accommodation at the school. The school recently submitted a development plan with feasibility study. This plan is currently being re-considered by management and the school will contacted in the coming days to discuss the proposed revised brief.

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

This will add to the 263 special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 16 special schools in County Cork with approximately 1,060 students enrolled. One of the five new special schools for the 2025/26 school year will open in the North of the City also. My department and the NCSE are also working with Cork Education and Training Board to expand capacity at both Rochestown Community Special School and East Cork Community Special School.

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.

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.