Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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223. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the specific Government guidelines for SEN places nationwide. [21808/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive a befitting education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

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 in 2025 and these, together with the over 1,200 existing places which will become available due to children and young people moving on from primary schools and post primary schools, will mean that there is close to 4,000 places available for the coming school year. The NCSE has engaged in a process with parents and schools to identify children requiring a place for the 2025/26 school year and the 3,900 places available should meet the need that exists.

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 a local level on the number of children seeking a special school place in a region.

A particular focus this year was placed on medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class. This not only ensures that classes can open quickly as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner, but also that provision is established in as many schools as possible as we expand provision nationally. This provides parents more options when deciding which schools to apply to and ensures that provision continues to grow in a diverse number of schools across regions. This focus will remain to the fore when planning for the 2026/27 school year.

My department is aware that demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates, my department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes.

In October 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting that each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of children progressing from primary school. Last year my department issued a circular to all schools setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. Included in this circular was a reminder of the need for post primary schools to continue planning for this level of provision.

As in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level and there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.

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