Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1044. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available to schools in Kerry that wish to partially integrate children with ASD into mainstream classes; and if an increase to SNAs and staff training will be provided in the region to make this feasible. [41379/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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My department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to ensuring that no matter where a child is enrolled they have access to the required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals. At the heart of this are the 44,000 special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) dedicated to ensuring each child is valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Supporting this is the variety of differentiated teaching approaches encouraged by my department to accommodate the varying levels of ability in classrooms. This facilitates the inclusion of all learners to access the school curriculum in a meaningful way.

In 2024, the NCSE published new policy advice on the progressive development of a more inclusive education system where the majority of children with special education needs are supported to attend their local school with their siblings and peers. My department is working to progress a range of measures to make this a reality over the coming years.

My department recently issued renewed guidelines for schools in relation to the ongoing review of special class placements and advised that placements should be reviewed on a regular basis and at least once a year. This is in recognition that a student’s learning needs may change over time and ensures that children remain in the most appropriate setting for their needs.

In addition, schools should also work to ensure that children attending special classes are supported to access mainstream classes and teaching as much as is possible. This not only provides more social opportunities for these children but ensures they are continually being supported to meet their full potential in a setting that best meets their learning needs.

The NCSE offer full school support in regards to special education and provides training supports through the NCSE support service which manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified training need. Any school who feels it has a training need should contact their local special education needs organiser to arrange training.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1045. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to granting schools in Kerry more flexibility to manage enrolment in special classes, particularly where a child's needs significantly exceed the available resources, while ensuring that child is offered appropriate alternatives locally. [41380/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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My department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to ensuring that no matter where a child is enrolled they have access to the required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals. At the heart of this are the 44,000 special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) dedicated to ensuring each child is valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Placements in special education settings should be reviewed by schools, in consultation with parents, on an ongoing basis. My department recently issued renewed guidelines for schools in relation to the ongoing review of special class placements and advised that placements should be reviewed on a regular basis and at least once a year.

Where a child or young person is moving from one special education setting to another, or from a special education setting to a mainstream setting and vice versa the NCSE at a local level is available to support this transition. Regard would need to be given to the relevant admission policies, admission process and waiting lists for the schools involved.

The enrolment of a student in a special class should be kept under continual review by the school, this is in recognition that a student’s learning needs may change over time. At a minimum, a review should take place once a year and include a careful examination of the student’s progress in achieving their learning targets. This ensures a student is continually being supported to meet their full potential in a setting that best meets their learning needs. At any stage where a student requires placement in a special educational setting the NCSE is available to support and advise on this transition.

Parents seeking a special educational placement or alternative special educational placement should contact the NCSE at a local level through their special educational needs organiser (SENO). Parents seeking placement for the 2026/27 school year should do so by the 1 October 2025. This earlier date has been set to ensure the NCSE has the required information to allow for earlier sanctioning of specialist provision for the 2026/27 school year. It is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.