Claire Kerrane
Question:1000. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the opening of a special class at a school (details supplied). [40819/25]
View answerTuesday, 29 July 2025
Questions (1000)
Written answers
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education 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 NCSE advise that 407 new special classes have been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these seven are in County Roscommon, three at primary and four at post primary level. Two of these classes will open in the school referred to by the Deputy.
My department's Planning and Building Unit has confirmed that this school has a building project ongoing which will create, in addition to other spaces, three special education classrooms. The school has also received funding for reconfiguration works to the existing building to accommodate the new classes for the coming school year.
This year, the approach taken was to maximise the use of existing accommodation in schools to ensure new special classes could open as quickly as possible for the 2025/26 school year. The NCSE also prioritised schools which did not have an existing special class. This has ensured that 80% of the new classes sanctioned are in schools with available accommodation.
Where schools require modular accommodation for new special classes, these projects are being fast-tracked by my department to deliver this accommodation as early as possible. In a small number of instances where a delay in new special class accommodation is expected such as where new modular classrooms are being provided, contingency arrangements are being made with the relevant schools with the support of the NCSE.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs.