Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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433. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) has been unsuccessful in securing additional SNA allocation; if she will ensure that this decision is reviewed with a view to increasing the SNA allocation as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62899/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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434. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application from a school (details supplied) for emergency special classroom sanction considering the urgent need for a dedicated special classroom; if she will ensure approval for this request so that the additional classroom will be operational for the 2026-2027 academic year, or sooner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62900/25]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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435. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Church of Ireland schools in the diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh; the number therein that currently have a special classroom; the number therein that have applied for a special classroom; if there are proposals to grant any remaining Church of Ireland schools in the same diocese a special classroom for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62901/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 433, 434 and 435 together.

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. It has advised that the school referred to by the Deputy recently received a review of their special needs assistant (SNA) allocation. The school was notified that a change in allocation was not warranted at this time.

As you are aware SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

The NCSE's local special educational needs organiser (SENO) remains available to the school to discuss their current deployment of SNA supports and offer advice as to how to put these supports to the best advantage of the students. The NCSE in-school support service is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.

The NCSE actively encourage expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing their interest.

Budget 2026 has provided funding for 3,000 new special educational places within our education system and the NCSE is examining where this provision is best placed for the 2026/27 school year. 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 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 placement.

However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level and there is known demand in a local area, additional classroom accommodation will be provided.

The NCSE is currently collating the information received via the parents notify process. Parents were asked to notify the NCSE by the 1 October if seeking a special educational placement in the 2026/27 school year. Once this data and information has been verified the NCSE will then be in a position to engage with schools and match which schools are best placed to open new classes to meet known demand in local areas. The NCSE is working towards sanctioning the majority of new special classes for the 2026/27 school year by 31 December 2025.

Details on the number of special classes in the 19 Church of Ireland schools in the diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh is available in the attached table. A a list of schools with special classes; broken by location and class designation is also available on the NCSE .