Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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316. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the exact number of children in Cork currently on the National Council for Special Education's database awaiting a special education placement as of a stated date; the number of the 63 newly confirmed special classes in Cork that are fully operational versus those still awaiting site readiness or staffing allocation; and if the Department will direct the NCSE to publish a quarterly Cork-specific figure on outstanding placements and vacant places, given the Council's continued refusal to provide a static figure when asked directly. [50588/26]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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317. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the Department holds, or has sought, any internal NCSE data showing the number of children in Cork whose assessed special educational need does not match any currently vacant place in the county; and the timeline being applied to resolve those mismatches. [50589/26]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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318. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 829 18 March 2026, to confirm whether the NCSE's reference to children being tracked on "our database" constitutes confirmation that a live, countable record of unplaced children exists; and if so, the reason this number was not disclosed. [50590/26]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 316, 317 and 318 together.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I will arrange for your query to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply. Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas email address.

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.

In addition, I recently announced inclusive special classes as part of a new approach to supporting students with additional needs. This is one of many ways my department is actively engaging to meet the increased demand.

580 new special classes have been sanctioned to date, including 64 inclusive special classes. This brings the total number of special classes sanctioned to date to over 4,300. Further new special classes may be confirmed in the coming weeks, if required.

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.

Of the 580 new special classes, 378 are being established in primary schools and 202 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county with 69 new special classes confirmed for Cork so far.

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 students are travelling to access a special class place.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential.