Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 November 2025
440. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average and longest waiting time reported by Cork parents seeking autism-specific class placements for 2025-2026; and whether the Department tracks these waiting times. [64981/25]
View answer441. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special class places lost or temporarily unavailable in Cork due to school accommodation constraints in 2025; and the steps being taken to prevent recurrence in 2026. [64982/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 440 and 441 together.
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 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.
Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now over 30,000 students enrolled in special classes and special schools. 2,700 new places were created for the 2025/26 school year and these, together with the over 1,200 existing places due to students moving on from primary schools and post-primary schools, has meant that close to 4,000 specialist places were made available for the 2025/26 school year. The NCSE advise that a number of vacancies remain in every county in the country including a small number in County Cork.
A small number of schools in Cork are still receiving building works in order for classes to open. These schools have been provided with teaching and special need assistant resources and have made contingency arrangements for students to ensure they are being supported while awaiting the completion of works.
In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible the NCSE prioritise working with medium and larger primary schools who do not already have a special class and have available accommodation to accommodate new special class. This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases the number of schools with special classes providing parents with greater choice and reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class place.
However, as in other years 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.
The NCSE is also working on sanctioning the majority of new special classes for the 2026/27 school year by 31 December 2025. This is four months earlier than last year and will bring clarity and certainty for both parents and schools as to where classes will be located. The earlier date of sanction will afford schools much earlier lead in time to plan and execute works than in previous years.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs and will continue to review and monitor the situation as to where new specialist provision is required.
