Séamus McGrath (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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231. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the opening of a special class at a school (details supplied). [53785/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Enabling children with additional 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 NCSE is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I will arrange for your query to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at: oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie

The NCSE will have a clear picture of the local demand for special class places for the 2026/2027 school year after the parents notification process closes (October 1st).

Once the NCSE has fully collated and assessed this information, the NCSE will be in a position to advise on the locations of any new special classes. My Department and the NCSE are prioritising the opening of new special classes in medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and who may have none or just one existing special class.

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 Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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232. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to consider matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53809/25]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills f she will consider the matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53790/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 232 and 233 together.

I want to thank the Deputy for raising this matter.

The National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance and Strategic Action Plan (2024-2030) were published in December 2023. Four pillars underpin the vision for lifelong guidance in Ireland. One of these pillars is that of ''Access, Inclusion and Universal Design.''

Within the Action Plan, a number of actions outline specific directions that will be followed to ensure guidance is accessible, inclusive and universally designed. One example of this is action 2.6: ''ensure provision of guidance supports to students in special schools is delivered by appropriately trained professionals.''

My Department is leading on the implementation of a number of actions supporting transitions and progression in education from early childhood through to further education and training and higher education.

My Department for example is currently supporting 2 Pilot Programmes in this area, both subject to external evaluation, which will provide valuable information in relation to policy formulation on Transitions.

The CES Transitions pilot programme established and funded directly by the Department in 2022 is currently running in 41 special schools. The pilot programme has been extended for the 2025/26 school year. The overarching objective of the programme is to support students with complex educational needs to transition to the post-school option which suits them best; including further or higher education options, workplace settings or adult disability services.

The second pilot programme – the DAF 22 Transitions programme is a collaboration between the Department and Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability (WALK), an experienced NGO working in the area of disability services. The key objective is similar to CES - ensure that students are supported to make optimal transitions from school.

WALK is currently engaging with and delivering their existing Peer Ability programme in 11 schools based in Louth, Dublin, Westmeath, Cavan, and Cork.

The programme is funded through the Dormant Accounts Fund. An application under the DAF 26 has been submitted to continue this pilot in 2026. The outcome of this application is expected shortly.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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234. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ascertain from the NCSE the supports that are being made available to a child (details supplied) who has an autism diagnosis and has missed six months of school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53792/25]

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 is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I will arrange for your query to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at: oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie

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.

Thomas Gould (Cork North-Central, Sinn Fein)
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235. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that children in a school (details supplied) still have no start date. [53943/25]

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.

Substantial investment has been provided to increase the number of places available in special schools. Sixteen new schools have opened in the last five years and many more have been expanded and developed to grow for the students in its community. As you are aware five new special schools were established for this school year, two in County Dublin and one each in counties Cork, Monaghan and Tipperary. This has brought to 129 the number of NCSE supported special schools in the country. These schools educate over 9,500 students with the most complex of special educational need.

Significant additional capacity in existing special schools in Cork is also being provided in for this school year with over 40 additional places being provided in East Cork Community Special School and Rochestown Community Special School. Significant building and repurposing works have been undertaken over recent months to provide this additional capacity.

In relation to special class capacity, the NCSE completed a recent exercise with schools and confirm that a number of special class places remain available for students in existing special classes at both primary and post-primary level across some schools in Cork at the start of this school year.

My Department understands that repurposing and associated works to provide the additional 24 places at the school referred to by the Deputy is nearing completion and it is expected that students will begin attending these new classes later this month.

The school have recruited the additional teaching and SNA resources to support these students and these staff are working closely with families to support the students transitioning to school.