Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, under her plans to redesignate mild special school as the catch all for special schools, children with mild general learning disability will be moved to a mainstream setting in the short-term; if children with mild general learning disability being moved to mainstream is a reasonable outcome to expect from this redesignation in the medium-term even if children are not moved straight away; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35078/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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236. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether mild special schools have a place in our educational mix; and her further views on whether mild special schools provide a tailored service and added value that justifies their continued existence as such. [35079/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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238. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline, under her plans to redesignate mild special school as catch all special schools, the specific resources and training that will be provided to mainstream teachers to effectively accommodate mild students in mainstream before 2026-2027. [35081/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline, under her plans to redesignate mild special school as catch all special schools, the means by which, and the pool whence, the many therapists needed to support mainstream and special schools with this action by 2026-2027 will be recruited. [35082/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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240. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills under her plans to redesignate mild special school as catch-all special schools, the number of pupils with mild learning disabilities that will be moved to a mainstream setting for the 2026-2027 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35084/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 235, 236, 238, 239 and 240 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 2025/26 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.

As recently announced, my department will begin examining the designation of special schools in the 2025/26 school year. 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 by broadening the designation of more schools. It is also important to state that this is not an attempt to create what the Deputy describes as "catch all special schools", which is an unfair description for schools which have already been through this process.

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 it 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 already changed their policies in order 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. My department will now engage with and support the remaining schools to embrace this endeavour so that more special schools can better support children with complex needs in their local community. Importantly no child currently enrolled in a MGLD school will be affected by a school predesignating.

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.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the discrepancy between the proportion of general learning disability classes and ASD special classes; if she will make public the data used to make these allocations; and the reasons for this discrepancy. [35080/25]

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 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 class and special school places are provided.

This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that children will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.

My department has significantly increased the resources available to support children with special educational needs in mainstream provision. For the 2025/26 school year there will be 15,000 special education teachers and over 12,500 special needs assistants (SNAs) in schools supporting students in mainstream classes.

For children with more complex needs special class and special school places are provided. This provision is established under a particular designation of student need, e.g., Mild/Moderate/Severe to Profound Learning Disability or for particular conditions e.g. Autism or Deaf/Hard of Hearing. Enrolment into these classes is closely linked to its designation. This ensures that these classes continue to meet the needs of the students for which they were intended and for this reason, a diagnosis and/or professional report is required in order for students to be enrolled.

The number of children with a report or recommendation for placement in an autism class continues to grow.

My department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. The need for special educational provision is identified with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability.

Where the NCSE identify demand for a special class the NCSE sanction the class and my department provides supports to the school to ensure the school can accommodate that class. Under the new parents notification process, the NCSE now have a clearer lens on the level of need for special class and special school places in local areas. The vast majority of children becoming known to the NCSE have a diagnosis of autism and a recommendation for either a special class or special school place.

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