Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 October 2025
55. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in County Kildare with ASD units each year from 2022 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57474/25]
View answerThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Almost 1,900 classes have been sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in the last five years, sixteen new special schools have been established and many more expanded.? Of these 407 new special classes were sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. 31 are in County Kildare, 17 at primary and 14 at post primary level.
This brings to 148 the number of special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 6 special schools in Kildare with approximately 360 students enrolled.
The table below details the number of mainstream schools in County Kildare with autism classes for the academic years 2022/2023 to 2025/2026.
|
|
2022/2023 |
20323/2024 |
2024/2025 |
2025/2026 |
|
Primary |
41 |
43 |
53 |
61 |
|
Post Primary |
16 |
17 |
18 |
18 |
|
Total |
57 |
60 |
71 |
79 |
Budget 2026 has provided for an additional 3,000 places nationwide for the 2026/27 school year. The vast majority of these places will be sanctioned in special classes within mainstream schools.
The NCSE is currently collating the data and information received through the parents notify process and is engaging with schools regarding where specialist provision is best placed for the 2026/27 school year. It is envisioned that the majority of these special classes will be sanctioned by 31 December 2025.
