Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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68. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of sanctioned autism classes in Dublin bay north as of September 2025; her plans to open additional sanctioned autism classes; the reasons a request (details supplied), submitted late in 2024, to open two additional autism classes has not yet been sanctioned by the NCS; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50717/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the national agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. For the 2025/26 school year the NCSE sanctioned 407 new special classes, bringing to 3,741 the number of special classes in our schools. Combined with 300 new special school places this has created 2,700 new school places for children with special educational needs.

Of the new special classes 103 are in Dublin, 81 at primary and 22 at post primary level. This brings to 705 the number of special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 42 special schools in County Dublin with approximately 2,700 students enrolled. Two of the five new special schools for the 2025/26 school year recently opened in Lucan and Belmayne.

The NCSE has assured me that this new provision when added to the existing provision has meet known demand for the 2025/26 school year, however, the NCSE continue to engage with a small number of families in County Dublin to avail of available special class places. A list of schools with special classes; broken down by location and class designation is available on the NCSE website: . The NCSE advise that the school referred to by the deputy has 3 special classes, 2 of which are designated for children with autism.

In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible the NCSE prioritise working with medium and larger primary schools who do not already have a special class and have available accommodation to accommodate new special class. This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases number of schools with special classes providing parents with greater choice and reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class place.

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 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 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’s website (ncse.ie/notify-ncse-special-class-special-school), emailing parentsnotify@ncse.ie, or calling 01 603 3346.

Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update regarding the provision of an autism unit and extension in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50724/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question.

The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or by available accommodation at other schools in the area.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE). This includes the establishment of special class and special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.

When the NCSE sanction a special class in a school (primary or post-primary), school authorities can apply to my Department for capital funding to repurpose an existing space within the school building to accommodate the class and/or to construct additional accommodation under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). ASA application forms are available on my Department’s website, www.education.ie. Should the school in question receive a sanction from the NCSE for a special class they can apply as set out above to repurpose space or for additional accommodation.

Over the last two years, my Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special education placements ahead of each new school year.

My Department continues to work with the NCSE in relation to the short-term requirements for special class and special school places and also the more strategic and longer-term requirements.