Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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377. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills considering the rising population and increasing demand in Dunshaughlin, Ratoath and Ashbourne, the measures she is taking to secure additional ASD classes in schools in these areas. [35714/25]

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.

Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now just over 28,000 students enrolled in special classes and special schools. 2,700 new places are being created in 2025 and these, together with the over 1,200 existing places which will become available due to children and young people moving on from primary schools and post primary schools, will mean that there is close to 4,000 places available for the coming school year. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has engaged in a process with parents and schools to identify children requiring a place for the 2025/26 school year and the 3,900 places available should meet the need that exists.

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 22 are in County Meath, 17 at primary and 5 at post primary level.

This will add to the 156 special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 3 special schools in County Meath with approximately 222 students enrolled.

In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department recently published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of new measures introduced to support forward planning going forward and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child. An earlier date of 1 October has been set in which parents must do so. This notification will provide the NCSE with valuable insights as to which children will continue to require a special class as they progress to post primary level and details on students who require a place for the first time. The earlier date will also allow for earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year, and it is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.

The NCSE, in line with their statutory role, will be engaging with schools and school patron bodies to secure additional special classes for the 2026/2027 in areas where there is a known level of need.