Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 February 2026
107. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on efforts by her Department and the NCSE to increase ASD class capacity for boys in the Clondalkin area for the coming school year, given there are a small number of boys without an appropriate placement to move on to from their current placements in ASD classes in girls’ schools in the area. [10985/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to the continued accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places for 2026/27 by providing at least 3,000 new places in locations where it best meets existing and future demand.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body tasked with sanctioning new special education provision in our schools.
It is important to remember that the majority of children and young people with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. They are supported by their classroom teacher, special education teachers and SNAs as required. For children and young people with more complex needs a special class place can be provided and for children and young people with the most complex needs a special school place can be provided.
My department and the NCSE have worked closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to ensure that new special classes for the next school year are confirmed earlier. My Department and the NCSE are aware of the need to consider children transitioning from junior primary schools to senior primary schools as part of forward planning.
I visited a number of schools in the Clondalkin area last year, where this issue was also raised by principals so I'm very much aware of the concern being raised by the Deputy.
The NCSE have now sanctioned 301 new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027 with more planned in the coming weeks. 71 of these new special classes have been sanctioned in County Dublin, 49 at primary and 22 at post primary level. 5 of these new classes are being provided in Clondalkin, 4 are being established in co-educational primary schools and 1 in a senior boys primary school. This will bring to 776 the total number of special classes available across schools in County Dublin.
Additionally, there are 42 special schools in County Dublin supporting the education of 2,703 children.
The sanctioning of these new special classes is a number of months ahead of last year and should provide greater clarity for parents. It will also provide schools with more time to establish new classes.
I expect schools opening new special classes to move forward now with admissions processes.
The NCSE advise that the majority of children and young people coming through the Parents Notify process and seeking a special class or special school place for the 2026/2027 school year are already enrolled in school and are being supported by existing special education teachers and special needs assistants.
The NCSE remains available to provide advice and support to all families seeking specialist placement and will continue to examine where provision is required for the 2026/27 school year.
