Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
617. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for a decision communicated to a school (details supplied), where it has been indicated by her Department to the NCSE that the school is ‘too new’ to be sanctioned additional autism classes, despite confirmation from the NCSE that there is an identified need for special education in the local area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30855/26]
View answerThe Government is committed to the continued accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places for 2026/27.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are the statutory body tasked with sanctioning new special education provision in our schools.
I commend every school, including the school referred to by the Deputy, who express an interest in opening a new special class. As the Deputy knows, I visited the school last year and I know the good work they do in supporting children with additional needs. This school is already supporting three special classes and the focus for my department and the NCSE is working to provide new special classes in medium and larger primary schools with none or just 1 special class.
The school received a new school building comprising 16 mainstream classrooms and 2 class SEN base in 2023. A recently received application for 2 Special education needs modular classrooms under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is currently under consideration. However, as this is a relatively new school building the department would expect the school to prioritise utilisation of all existing capacity in the first instance.
There are resources available to support schools who have children who have needs beyond those catered for within the special classes and I would ask the school to continue to engage with the NCSE on accessing those supports. The NCSE is also engaging with parents locally and in the surrounding areas to ensure there is a range of provision available, including in this school.
My Department and the NCSE will continue to keep the matter under review.
