Michael Murphy (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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932. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the nature and extent of State support provided to fee-paying schools in relation to the establishment and operation of special classes; the level and criteria of staffing supports such as teachers and special needs assistants; the availability and scale of any capital or ICT grants for such provision; any formal agreements or frameworks governing public funding or support for special classes in the fee-paying sector; and if she will make available relevant policy documentation. [60161/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for children with special educational needs with regard to policy and best practices as laid out by my department.

Departmental policy is that special education provision should be made in State funded recognised schools (free-scheme schools) in the first instance. It is only where there is insufficient capacity in free scheme schools that the NCSE will engage with fee charging schools in order to provide special classes. It is however recognised that in certain school planning areas, the NCSE may need to consider engaging with fee-charging schools in relation to the provision of special classes for the 2026/27 school year and beyond.

There are approximately 50 fee-charging post-primary schools nationwide. Of these, one school has two special classes. These were sanctioned for opening as it was considered that there was insufficient provision in free scheme schools to meet the special educational needs of students in the local area.

The NCSE is now collating and assessing the information gathered through this notification process. Once complete the NCSE will be in a position to engage with schools across the country to open new special classes.