Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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296. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being taken to ensure that the statutory timeframes for assessments of need under the Disability Act 2005, and obligations under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, are aligned with school placement deadlines, in order that children with additional needs are not excluded from education in breach of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 and the State’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if she will make provision for interim school placements or therapeutic supports in cases where delayed assessments have resulted in children, such as a person (details supplied) missing out on appropriate school places and interventions. [49962/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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297. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which it is acceptable that a child (details supplied), red-flagged for developmental concerns since the age of two, whose family had to go to court to secure access to therapy and an educational report, was left waiting almost two years for a cognitive assessment only to be informed too late to apply for a special class and subsequently excluded from a special school placement for a second consecutive year; and if she accepts responsibility for the lack of timely assessment, care and school provision and what measures they are taking to prevent this situation from re-occurring. [49972/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 296 and 297 together.

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 National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. They advise that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) is working closely with the student’s family regarding options for school placements and other special education supports.

Matters in relation to the provision of Health Service Executive (HSE) services such as the assessment of need process should be directed to the HSE or to the Department of Children, Disability, and Equality.

In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of 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 information as to which students 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 NCSE is actively communicating this requirement nationally also.

The earlier date will 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.

Parents can make initial contact, submit reports and provide consent forms directly via the NCSE at www.ncse.ie/notify-ncse-special-class-special-school, emailing parentsnotify@ncse.ie or calling 01 603 3346.

I would like to stress that the NCSE will continue to support all children made known to them after this date also, however, it is important for planning purposes that we set an earlier timeframe for which the NCSE has as much local knowledge and detail as possible in order to plan what new provision is required.