Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 September 2026
435. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils with SEN who had no suitable school place in the last school year; and to make a statement on the matter. [68899/26]
View answer436. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils currently in special schools; and to make a statement on the matter. [68898/26]
View answer437. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils in special classes at second level; and to make a statement on the matter. [68897/26]
View answer438. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils in special classes at primary level; and to make a statement on the matter. [68896/26]
View answer439. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream primary school classrooms, mainstream secondary school classrooms; and to make a statement on the matter. [68895/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 435 to 439, inclusive, together.
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.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that every child can access required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals. At the heart of this are the special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) dedicated to ensuring each child is valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
My department and the NCSE have sanctioned 587 new special classes for the school year 2026/27, including 70 inclusive special classes. This is one of many ways my department is actively engaging to meet the increased demand. This brings the total number of special classes sanctioned to date to over 4,300. Forward planning has already commenced ahead of the 2027/28 school year.
Generally, special classes are resourced at a 6:1 student/teacher ratio and two special needs assistants (SNAs) at primary level and at post-primary level, schools receive 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs.
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 ncse.ie/special-classes
Enrolments to individual schools are managed by a school’s board of management. 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.
Special schools support children and young people aged between 4 and 18 years of age with the most complex special educational needs and ensure positive links are established and fostered between the home, school and other agencies for these students.
Preliminary enrolment data for special schools is available on the Gov.ie page - www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/primary-schools-enrolment-figures/#20242025
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.
