Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 June 2026
459. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 184 of 28 May 2026, wherein a detailed breakdown of children without an appropriate school place for September 2026 was requested, to provide the requested data alongside an overview of all data held by her Department and the NCSE as regards unmet need for special education places for September 2026. [45259/26]
View answerThis government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
The 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.
In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE through the Parent Notify process that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child.
My department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE began sanctioning new special classes in January of this year, which is several months earlier than last year.
In addition, I recently announced inclusive special classes as part of a new approach to supporting students with additional needs. This is one of many ways my department is actively engaging to meet the increased demand.
565 new special classes have been sanctioned to date, including 56 inclusive special classes. Further new special classes may be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Of the 565 new special classes, 366 are being established in primary schools and 199 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county.
Parents may apply to enrol their child in a school of their choosing. Each school prepares and publishes their own admissions policy and runs their own admissions process in line with the Admissions Act. Individual schools will determine the outcome of applications received by them in accordance with their own admissions policy and procedures.
I want to reassure families that they will be supported in seeking a placement and that no child or young person should be prevented from starting school. There are a wide range of supports in mainstream classes, special classes and special schools for children and young people with additional needs.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential.
