Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reconsider the issuing of Circular 0039/2025 regarding the forward planning for special education provision since many teachers who work in special schools fear that the circular appears to assume that students with mild general learning disabilities can simply be accommodated within mainstream settings, provided minimal additional support; if she will redefine 'complex needs'; if she will consult with stakeholders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31132/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more complex educational needs. Over 300 new special school places are being provided for the coming 2025/2026 school year. 5 new special schools are being established in addition to the 11 new special schools opened over the last few years. Special school capacity is also being expanded across a number of special schools.

It is important to note that it is not the intention to exclude children who require a special school place from accessing certain special school settings, but rather allow children with complex educational needs apply to their local special school. Currently, there are instances whereby children with complex needs cannot apply for admission to their local special school simply because they don’t meet the narrow designation of that special school. In that regard, along with providing additional special school capacity, my Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) also consider that it is necessary to look at the profile of our existing special schools.

The NCSE report that over half of these Mild General Learning Disability (MGLD) special schools have diversified to allow children with more complex needs in their communities who require a special school setting enrol in their local special school. I wish to thank schools who have worked with us to broaden their designation and my department will continue to support schools in this endeavour so that more special schools can better support children with complex needs in their local community.

There are approx. 30 of our 129 special schools that were originally designated as schools for children with a MGLD. The establishment of these special schools predated the significant expansion in the range of supports offered in mainstream schools through additional special education teaching and Special Needs Assistant resources and through the rapid expansion in special class provision.

It is noted that many of the children enrolling in MGLD special school do so around the transition point from primary to post-primary. The new Senior Cycle Level 1 and Level 2 programme offers a new curriculum pathway for students with special educational needs at post-primary level now also.