Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will be provided a third temporary autism class for the 2025-2026 academic year only, creating junior, middle and senior autism classes for one year only; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34781/25]

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 advice that they are providing support and advice to the school regarding what supports are available to them to support the students already enrolled in the school's special classes.

This year the NCSE focused on medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class for the 2025/26 school year. This will ensure 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.

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.

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the redesignation of special schools that cater for children with mild general learning disabilities; the impact this may have on their current students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34799/25]

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extra capacity that will be provided by redesignating schools for children with mild general learning disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34800/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together.

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. Five new special schools are being established in addition to the eleven new special schools opened over the last few years. Special school capacity is also being expanded across a number of special schools.

It’s 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) consider that it is necessary to look at the profile of our existing special schools.

This is not a new departure. The NCSE report that over half of 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 approximately 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 programmes offers a new curriculum pathway for students with special educational needs at post-primary level now also.

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current capacity for special education places in County Offaly; how this compares to the potential places within the county from September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34801/25]

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.

Of the 400 new special classes places provided for in Budget 2025, the NCSE has advised that 399 of these classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these three are in County Offaly, two at primary and one at post primary level. This will add to the 108 special classes currently in operation in the county. Of these 77 are at primary and 31 are at post primary level. There is also one special school in County Offaly with approximately 42 students enrolled.

My department and the NCSE are engaging with schools and school management bodies in relation to the provision of future special classes and are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.