Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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341. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the capacity of the NCSE to provide training to the staff of the 400 new special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27675/25]

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.

The NCSE recruited a significant number of additional Special Education Needs Organisors, Team Managers and Advisors at the start of this school year to enhance the level of supports and guidance available to both schools and parents. Approximately 400 new special classes have been opened over each of the last few years and each of the schools opening new special classes have been supported by the NCSE. The NCSE are in contact with all schools opening new special classes to provide support and offer training.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the definition of ‘complex needs’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27676/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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343. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the definition of ‘complex special educational needs’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27677/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 342 and 343 together.

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.

In the context of requiring a special educational placement complex need is considered as requiring a high level of support as outlined in a professional report or recommendation in order to access education. Some special school boards of management have defined complex needs in admission policies as having a diagnosis of a moderate or severe and profound intellectual disability in addition to a possible diagnosis of autism.

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.

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

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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344. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills given that there were approximately 13,500 unqualified teachers employed in Irish schools in the 2024/2025 school year, what steps the Government will take to ensure that the most vulnerable children in special schools and special classes will have experienced, fully qualified staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27678/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a priority for my Department and the NCSE that we have teaching staff working in our special classes and special school who are fully trained and equipped to support children with complex special educational needs.

The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016 www.teachingcouncil.ie/assets/uploads/2023/08/revised-teaching-council-registration-regulations-2016.pdf.

A range of options are available to teachers in regard to training opportunities in special education. These are provided within initial teacher education (ITE) programmes for student teachers and teacher professional learning (TPL) programmes for established teachers. The programmes provided include flexible on-line opportunities right through to funding for post-graduate programmes for special education teachers.

In addition, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) offer full school support to all staff and provide support for teachers with training needs in special education, through the NCSE support service which manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training need. The NCSE has also secured the services of Middletown Centre for Autism to deliver support to school staff in special classes for children with autism.

A host of skills and teaching approaches are required every day by teachers in their classrooms. The NCSE support service is vital in this regard to ensuring teachers have the training needed to support all students to ensure no matter where a child is enrolled, they are supported and provided the opportunity to reach their full potential. It is open to any school who feels it has a training need to contact the NCSE and arrange training.

My colleague Minister McEntee recently wrote to the Teaching Council to begin work on making it mandatory for all student teachers to undertake one mandatory school placement in a special education setting. This is a key development and should help to ensure newly qualified teachers have the necessary skills and experience to support children with additional needs.

My department and the NCSE are committed to looking at further options to enhance training and supports for teachers and special needs assistants over the coming period and through the next budgetary cycle.