Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 June 2025
385. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update in respect of the delivery of ASD classrooms at a school (details supplied); the date on which officials in the Department communicated with the school; the local authority in respect of the matter; and the steps she can take to expediate the processing of the transfer of deeds. [31834/25]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has advised that this school recently confirmed their interest in opening a special class for the 2025/26 school year, however the NCSE understand that the school has no available accommodation to facilitate the class.
Officials in my department’s Planning and Building Unit confirm that they are aware that the school authority is liaising with Kildare County Council in order to secure land adjacent to the school to potentially allow the school to expand. Once this matter is progressed and the school is ready to submit an additional school accommodation (ASA) application, this will be given the utmost consideration.
Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now just over 28,000 students enrolled in special classes and special schools. 2,700 new places are being created in 2025 and these, together with the over 1,200 existing places which will become available due to children and young people moving on from primary schools and post primary schools, will mean that there is close to 4,000 places available for the coming school year. The NCSE has engaged in a process with parents and schools to identify children requiring a place for the 2025/26 school year and the 3,900 places available should meet the need that exists.
Of the 400 new special classes places provided for in Budget 2025, 399 classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these, 15 are in County Kildare, 12 at primary and 3 at post primary level. This will add to the 131 special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 6 special schools in Kildare with approximately 359 students enrolled.
My department has written to all schools opening new special classes asking them to commence their admission processes as quickly as possible. It has also requested the NCSE to work closely with schools and families to ensure that these children access places as quickly as possible.
The NCSE has begun identifying what provision is required for the 2026/27 school year and has begun planning in this regard. Part of this process, at a local level, and indeed nationwide, involves the NCSE examining which schools have capacity to expand within regions.
A particular focus this year was placed on medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class, to open a new special class. This not only ensures that classes can open quickly, as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner, but also that new provision is established in as many schools as possible. This provides parents more options when deciding which schools to apply to and ensures that provision continues to grow in a diverse number of schools across regions. This focus will remain to the fore when planning for the 2026/27 school year.
However, as done previously, where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level, and there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.
