George Lawlor (Wexford, Labour)
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248. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 910 of 18 March 2026, if she will provide the exact numerical data requested; the exact number of applications or expressions of interest from primary and post-primary schools in County Wexford to open special classes that have been refused, paused, or delayed solely due to her Department not sanctioning modular accommodation in the years 2024, 2025, and 2026 to date; the specific reasons for the delay in providing this exact regional data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23126/26]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I can confirm the following for the Deputy;

Since 2024, 8 Primary Schools and 1 Post Primary School applied for SEN funding for repurposing accommodation or builds. All of these have progressed expect 1 Primary school who applied for modular accommodation in 2025 but it did not progress due to the class not being required by the NCSE for 2025. It is currently being considered for modular accommodation for 2026.

38 schools applied for SEN funding over the course of 2024,2025 and 2026 following NCSE sanctions;

16 classes opened in 2024

16 classes opened in 2025

10 classes published to open in 2026 to date.

This is 42 classes sanctioned in 38 schools(7 Post Primary and 31 Primary)

Enabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs 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 students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students 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 students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.

My department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE began sanctioning new special classes in January of this year, which is several months earlier than last year. 387 have been sanctioned to date and many more new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of new classes provides clarity for parents and allows schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. The vast majority of new special classes being announced are being provided in available school accommodation which is being reconfigured as a special class. Each special class at primary level is allocated 1 teacher and 2 SNAs and at post-primary level, schools receive 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.

Schools seeking to establish new special classes should continue to engage with the NCSE at local level. In sanctioning new special classes, the NCSE have due regard to the level of need in an area and the existing provision, including how many places are expected to be available through the normal movement of students from primary to post-primary or finishing school. Budget 2026 provides funding for over 400 new special classes.

Approximately 80% of all new special classes are being provided in schools with existing accommodation and the Department is supporting those schools with additional grant funding to facilitate any necessary re-purposing works.

Where schools require additional accommodation, usually in the form of modular accommodation, this is being fast-tracked by the Department to be delivered as quickly as possible.

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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249. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the recently revised assessment of need framework limits or reduces access to cognitive assessment for children, including in cases where intellectual disability is not suspected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23167/26]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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250. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the recently revised assessment of need ensures that children with uneven developmental profiles, including those who may be gifted or twice-exceptional that is, children with both high ability and additional needs such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia, will be appropriately identified within the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23168/26]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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251. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has conducted any impact assessment on how the revised assessment of need model may affect the identification of children whose needs are masked by high cognitive ability or compensatory functioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23169/26]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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252. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if access to cognitive or psychological assessment remains available where there is evidence of significant intra-individual discrepancy, asynchronous development, or unexplained underachievement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23170/26]

Ruth Coppinger (Dublin West, Solidarity)
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253. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the training or guidance is being provided to assessment officers and multidisciplinary teams to ensure that complex presentations, including masking and twice-exceptionality, are recognised under the revised model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23171/26]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 249, 250, 251, 252 and 253 together.

The Assessment of Need process is under the remit of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. Questions in relation to the revised Assessment of Need process should be directed to colleagues in that Department.