Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2025
428. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of second level special class and special school places available in Dublin 9, 11 and 17 in 2025; and the projection for September 2026. [51242/25]
View answerEnabling 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 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 class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that children will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
The NCSE is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. Deputies are welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie.
The NCSE advise that 407 new special classes were sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these 103 are in County Dublin, 81 at primary and 22 at post primary level. the vast majority of these classes are autism classes and have a student teacher ratio of 1:6. The NCSE publish a list of all special classes sanctioned broken down by school type and location on their [website].?
Looking forward my department and the NCSE have begun preparatory work in relation to planning for the provision of further new special class and special school places for the 2026/27 school year and beyond. A key focus will be targeting post-primary schools with none or just one special class to open new special classes.
In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning going forward and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child. An earlier date of 1 October has been set in which parents must do so.
This notification will provide the NCSE with valuable information as to which children will continue to require a special class as they progress to post-primary level and details on students who require a place for the first time. The NCSE is actively communicating this requirement nationally also.
The earlier date will allow for earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year, and it is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.
Parents can make initial contact, submit reports and provide consent forms directly via the NCSE’s website, emailing parentsnotify@ncse.ie or calling 01 603 3346.
