Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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373. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of a case (details supplied); and if she will instruct her Department to review this case and ensure that the child in question is able to attend the special school in the 2025-2026 school year. [35690/25]

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.

Special schools funded by my department are classified as primary national schools. They are intended, in accordance with the provisions of rule 64(1) of the Rules for National Schools, to provide an education to children and young people, with special educational needs, aged from 4 years to until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.

Special schools may however seek approval from my department for an exemption from rule 64(1) in respect of students over the age of 18 who are pursuing courses leading to accreditation on the National Qualifications Framework.

A request for an exemption from rule 64(1) can only be made by a school where in addition to the above:

1. The student requires one additional year in order to complete their course
2. Retaining the student in the school for another school year will not prevent a younger student being enrolled there and
3. Plans are in place to transition the student to a post-school setting at the end of the school year