Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the development of a school (details supplied); and to outline plans for its future growth. [40069/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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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 school referred to by the Deputy was one of four new schools established for the 2024/25 school year in Counties Meath, Kildare, Limerick and in Gorey, County Wexford. The school opened in September 2024 with an initial intake of 24 students. The Department understands that the school is providing an additional 12 school places for the 2025/26 school year.

A further five new special schools are being established for the 2025/26 school year in addition to the eleven new special schools opened over the last few years. These schools will be established in counties, Cork, Dublin (2), Monaghan and Tipperary. Special school capacity is also being expanded across a number of existing special schools.

My department and the National Council for Special Education are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education places remain available for children with special educational needs and will continue to review and monitor the situation nationwide as to where new special classes and special schools may be required.

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will urgently review the sanction and subsequent withdrawal of sanction for a new ASD class at a school (details supplied) in Tipperary; the reasons this sanction was removed; if she is satisfied with the manner in which this matter has been dealt with; if she will instruct the NCSE to re-instate the ASD class that she approved and announced in March 2025 to ensure this much-needed class proceeds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39235/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

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.

The NCSE has advised that the school referred to by the Deputy did receive a sanction letter for a class for the 2025/26 school year. This sanction was granted on the basis that the school had existing accommodation in order to facilitate the class. It later transpired that the outlined accommodation would requiring renting. This prompted the NCSE to re-examine the sanction which involved re-determining demand in the area.

After discussions with parents the NCSE concluded that there was enough capacity in local schools to meet known demand in the area for the 2025/26 school year.

It is important to note that students will be supported to attend school in the most inclusive setting possible. This ensures these classes, and their allocated resources reach their full capacity but also that the children have as much opportunity as possible to socialise with their peers throughout the school day.

The NCSE do endeavour to support parental choice in as far as possible, however, in line with the principles of inclusion it is not possible to establish a special class in every preferred school. In this case the NCSE advise that capacity in a local school remains for all children whose families are seeking enrolment in a special class.

The NCSE must also consider the accommodation needs of schools. Where there are options the NCSE must establish classes where there is available accommodation to accommodate that class. This ensures the class will open more quickly as existing accommodation can be more easily and more quickly configured. It also ensures that capital funding goes to schools in areas with known demand but with no capacity to expand. This is critical to ensuring that adequate provision remains in local areas where children require such provision and children are not left travelling long distances in order to access that provision.

The NCSE is confident that they have provided sufficient capacity in County Tipperary for the 2025/26 school year for all children known to them as requiring a special class placement. The NCSE will continue to monitor the situation at a local level and will give full consideration to this schools as part of forward planning for the 2026/2027 school year. The NCSE has confirmed that they will meet with the school later this week to discuss updates and any remaining concerns the school has.