Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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339. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she can advise in relation to a school securing the necessary funding for a child who has not received an ASD school placement for September 2025 (details supplied). [27636/25]

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 is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I have forwarded this issue to them for their attention and direct reply.

Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie.

The NCSE actively encourage expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing their interest. However, it is not always possible to open a special class in every school that expresses an interest.

When assessing the needs in the local area, the NCSE identify schools in the neighbouring vicinity with available special class vacancies or capacity and assess their capability with consideration to demographical and statistical data.

A particular focus has been placed on medium and larger primary schools (at least 8 teachers) with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class for the 2025/26 school year. This ensures that classes can open quickly as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner but also that new provision is established in as many schools as possible. 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 should also help in reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class place.

This focus will remain when planning for new provision for the 2026/27 school year.

However, 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.

Schools who have expressed an interest in opening a special class for the 2025/26 school year but have not received sanction will remain as potential options for future special classes.

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