Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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631. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made in developing a model for smaller schools, that due to their size don't meet the threshold of six pupils with special needs, to have a special class sanctioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57786/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to remember that the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Schools are provided additional resources such as special education teachers and special need assistants (SNAs) in order achieve this.

As there continues to be a significant number of medium and larger primary schools with no special class, my department and the NCSE will continue to prioritise these schools who 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 the 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.

The NCSE must also consider vacant places in existing special classes in an area and any places that will become available through the normal movement of children leaving primary or post-primary school.

These factors all form part of the planning process when determining where new special classes are best placed to meet local demand.

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 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 was set for parents to do so.

The NCSE is currently collating and assessing the information gathered through the parent's notify process, once complete the NCSE will be in a position to engage with schools across the country to open new special classes. It is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025. This will also allow for work to progress on expanding special school capacity in certain areas.

I would like to stress that the NCSE will continue to support all children made known to them after the 1 October parent notify process deadline, 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 for the 2026/27 school year.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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632. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she is taking to ensure that deaf children completing LCA assessments have proper accommodations in place, as there is growing concern that the accommodations in place are not sufficient. [57794/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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633. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will introduce other forms of assessment for deaf students completing LCA that do not rely solely on audio components. [57795/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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634. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will meet with deaf students, parents, teachers and the Irish deaf society to develop an assessment that accommodates deaf children and ensures equality for all students with their exams. [57796/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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738. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work being undertaken by her Department to review accessibility in LCA assessment for the deaf and hard of hearing students; if she will consider the introduction of other forms of assessments that do not rely solely on audio components; if she will consult with deaf students, parents, teachers, and the representative society (details supplied) to develop fair and inclusive approaches; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58603/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 632, 633, 634 and 738 together.

I can advise the Deputy that the Programme for Government commits to developing an appropriate mechanism to allow additional time for students with specific needs and in certain circumstances, and also to ensure that those who use assistive technology can do so in State examinations.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates access to the examinations through its scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, otherwise known as the RACE scheme.

I welcome that the SEC is currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the scheme in which it intends to give consideration to these and all relevant issues.

I have asked the SEC to respond directly to the Deputy with further detail about the RACE scheme and the ongoing system wide review of the scheme.