Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1171. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a response will response will issue to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42945/25]

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 have been created for the 2025/26 school year and these, together with the over 1,200 existing places which have become available due to children and young people moving on from primary schools and post primary schools, will mean that close to 4,000 specialist places are available for the coming school year. 407 new special classes have been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has advised that the local special educational needs organiser has been working closely with the student’s family regarding options for school placements and other special education supports for the coming academic year and that the student's family has accepted a school placement for September 2025.

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.

Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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1172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a response will issue to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42953/25]

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 NCSE actively encourage expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing their interest. However, it is not always possible to open a special class in every school that expresses an interest.

When assessing the needs in the local area, the NCSE identify schools in the neighbouring vicinity with available special class vacancies or capacity and assess their capability with consideration to demographical and statistical data.

Schools not sanctioned this year, such as the school referred to by the Deputy will remain as a potential option for future classes. Local SENOs remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. The NCSE advise that the school already have four special classes.

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.