Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 November 2025
413. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether there is a mandate for the inclusion of special education classes in all new schools sanctioned by her Department; and if so, whether this is an automatic requirement or decided on a case-by-case basis. [64693/25]
View answerIn order to make accommodation provision to meet the needs of students with special education requirements, my department has close engagement with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. When the NCSE sanction a special class in a school, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or to construct additional accommodation. Similarly, where special schools wish to expand provision, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to accommodate additional placements.
This advance planning is building on the significant work to date in delivering additional classrooms for students with special education needs. Dedicated classrooms for pupils with special education needs are now included as standard in all new accommodation briefs for new school buildings and major extension projects. The Department would normally include 2 SEN classes with a new 8-classroom primary school and increase the number of SEN classes based on the size of the primary school being provided. Similarly with a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school, the department is now looking to include 6 SEN classes.
My department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) reviewed the forward planning for special education needs (SEN) and highlighted the urgent need for additional SEN special classes. In order to respond to this need at pace, my Department is progressing urgent building projects that involve the repurposing of existing space in schools for SEN purposes. These projects will ensure that existing school capacity is optimised and that teaching spaces are adaptable and flexible to facilitate a student-centred approach to learning. Potential repurposing options will be school and site specific, presenting different opportunities and challenges. To support the delivery of these classes in good time for the 2025/26 school year, a new streamlined approach to funding was made available to repurpose accommodation for SEN. A SEN Start Up grant of €30,000 for each new SEN classroom sanctioned and opened for the 2025/26 school year was payable to the school directly following receipt of NCSE notification of sanctioned classes. Additional funding for small scale repurposing works up to a maximum of €70,000 per class was also available to schools on an application basis. Further information on SEN repurposing supports can be accessed on www.gov.ie.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. In addition, repurposing and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. Circa 80% of new special classes in 2025/26 are being facilitated in repurposed classroom accommodation.
Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. Supplementary capital funding of €210 million approved by Government has brought the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.
In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs.
