Written answers
Tuesday, 4 November 2025
Department of Education and Skills
Special Educational Needs
John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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642. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special classes for children with developmental language disorder or speech sound disorder of unknown origin currently operating in mainstream primary schools, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57851/25]
Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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There are 64 special classes for pupils with significant speech issues in mainstream primary schools. They provide a time-limited, targeted intervention for children with severe impairments in their skills of understanding and expressing themselves through spoken language.
The Department’s Inspectorate published a report on the quality of provision for children attending these classes in 2021 which raised significant issues including the fact that enrolment criteria for entry to the classes did not align with the diagnostic definition used by speech and language therapists in Ireland and internationally since 2017.
Following a review, the Department published Circular 0024/2025 with revised criteria for enrolment in these classes including the removal of reference to IQ as one of the entry criteria for these classes.
The updates to circular 0038/2007 were informed by robust engagement with the Speech and Language Therapy service in the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists (IASLT) and HSE Speech and Language Therapists. As advised by these specialist services, the revised entry criteria for these classes are intended to ensure that the children with the greatest level of difficulty can access them.
Guidelines, a decision-making matrix and additional support from the NCSE have been provided to schools to assist them in ensuring that the children with the greatest level of need are facilitated to enrol in the classes.
Department officials also engaged with education stakeholders, including representatives of schools who provide these classes, to consult on the terms of the circular. The feedback from the stakeholders has been incorporated into the revised circular. The circular will be subject to review and this will involve the full range of education and health stakeholders.
| Roll No | Name School | County | No of classes | No of schools | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17326B | St. Felim's N.S. | Cavan | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 16677C | Bunscoil Na mBraithre | Clare | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 17957N | Holy Family Junior School | Clare | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 12473M | Greenmount Monastery NS | Cork | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 13889C | Shanbally NS | Cork | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 15484J | Scoil Naisiunta an Chroi Naofa | Cork | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19249T | Barryroe NS | Cork | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19256Q | Scoil Ghobnatan | Cork | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19771J | Scoil Barra | Cork | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 20399W | Scoil Chroi Iosa | Cork | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 11843O | S N Neill Mor | Donegal | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 17728V | Woodlands NS | Donegal | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 20519G | Stapolin ETNS | Dublin 13 | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19939V | Good Shepherd NS | Dublin 14 | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 20384J | Powerstown Educate Together | Dublin 15 | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19472W | St Marks Junior N S | Dublin 24 | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 19541P | Scoil Solas Chriost | Dublin 24 | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 11525A | St Patricks N School | Dublin 9 | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 10296G | St Marnock's NS | Dublin County | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19401W | S N Caitríona Sois | Galway | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 20042E | Scoil an Chroí Naofa | Galway | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 13530D | Scoil Mhuire | Kerry | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19512I | St Olivers Ns | Kerry | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19925K | Scoil Mhuire | Kilkenny | Primary | 3 | 1 |
| 20270R | Holy Family Junior School | Laois | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 06936R | St Johns Convent | Limerick | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 17951B | Courtenay School | Limerick | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 18677M | Scoil Mhathair De | Limerick | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 19479N | Rathmullan NS | Louth | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19673J | St Joseph's NS | Louth | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 20275E | Scoil Iosa | Mayo | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 20562H | Castlebar Primary School | Mayo | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 00883P | Aine Naofa NS | Meath | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 16646O | St Marys Convent NS | Meath | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 17150N | St Marys BNS | Monaghan | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 18797W | St. Joseph's National School | Offaly | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 20498B | St Comán's Wood Primary School | Roscommon | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19974A | St John's | Sligo | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 12180U | Presentation Primary School | Tipperary | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 16344V | Nenagh Community School | Tipperary | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19955T | Presentation Primary School | Waterford | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 00934G | Presentation Convent (Jnr) | Westmeath | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 19352M | Sc Nais Realta Na Mara | Wexford | Primary | 1 | 1 |
| 20003R | St Aidans Parish Sch | Wexford | Primary | 2 | 1 |
| 17720F | St. Kevin's NS | Wicklow | Primary | 1 | 1 |
64 | 45 |
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