Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
386. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the number of primary and secondary school children and children travelling to special schools from the Donabate and Portrane area in the 2025 school year; and to include a breakdown of children attending these schools by roll numbers, in tabular form. [68343/26]
View answerEnabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs 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 students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided.
Parents may apply to enrol their child in a school of their choosing. Enrolments to schools are a matter for each board of management and parents apply directly to schools, therefore, the information requested by the Deputy is held at a local level.
While the department holds enrolment data which is published by school year on the ww.gov.ie website, it does not hold the requested data in respect of individual children.
A list of all mainstream and special schools is available on my department's website on gov.ie. In addition, a list of schools with special classes; broken by location and class designation is available on the NCSE (www.ncse.ie/school-leaders/special-classes/)
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.
