Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
154. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to ensure that the expansion of autism spectrum disorder special classes at post-primary level keeps pace with provision at primary level, so that every child has access to a suitable school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70325/25]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs.
My department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. Building on successive budgets, Budget 2025 secured funding for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. Together this has delivered 2,700 new places.
The information held on the department's Geographical Information System (GIS), particularly in relation to student demographics, is a key component when forecasting the need for additional special class and special school places. My department and the NCSE have undertaken analysis of the trends in special class and special school provision over recent years by county and local school planning area. In total there are 314 local school planning areas.
My department and the NCSE identify the need for special educational provision with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability. In addition, part of the forward planning process as to where new classes, schools or expansion is required looks at the distance students are travelling to access an education appropriate to their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information the NCSE hold at local level on the number of children and young people seeking a special school place in a region.
As demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates, my department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes.
In October 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting that each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of students progressing from primary school. Last year my department issued a circular to all schools setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. Included in this circular was a reminder of the need for post-primary schools to continue planning for this level of provision.
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.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for students with special educational needs and will continue to review and monitor the situation as to where new specialist provision is required.
