Brian Brennan
Question:618. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education the status of an application for a special class (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1463/25]
View answerWednesday, 22 January 2025
Questions (618, 631, 637)
Malcolm Byrne
Question:631. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education the status of plans for the development of an additional special educational needs class at a school (details supplied). [1704/25]
View answerBrian Brennan
Question:637. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education the status of an application for a special class for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1731/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 618, 631 and 637 together.
As you are aware enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for government. Thanks to considerable investment in special education in recent years the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, 11 new special schools have been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.
119 of these classes are in County Wexford , 16 are new for the 2024/25 school year, 13 at primary level and 3 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.
The NCSE have recently recruited additional SENOs, advisors and team managers. 120 SENOs now operate nationwide, four of these are operating solely in County Wexford. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas and are currently visiting schools nationwide to conduct planning meetings. Over 1,000 school planning visits have occurred in recent months. These planning visits have been key to the NCSE in determining what new provision can be provided and it is expected that the NCSE will sanction a number of new special classes in the coming weeks.
I commend schools that express and interest in opening a special class, however, it may not always be possible for the NCSE to open a new class in every school that expresses an interest. The NCSE will continue to keep the matter under review with regard to local level of need. The initial focus at primary level has been on medium to larger primary schools (Principal + 8 teachers) with no special class or just one class.
The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. The NCSE will progress the sanctioning of new special classes over the coming weeks and will advise parents in turn on the location of new special classes for the 2025/26 school year.