This government is fully committed to supporting children 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) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.
Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now just over 28,000 students enrolled in special classes and special schools. Budget 2025 provides for an additional 2,700 specialist places, made up of 400 new special class and 300 additional special school places. On top of this, there will be over 1,000 places available through the normal annual movement of students progressing from primary to post-primary and students graduating from post-primary or special schools. There also remains special class vacancies in some areas of the country.
As you are aware, this year, an emphasis has been placed on the importance of parents contacting the NCSE as soon as possible when seeking a special educational placement. This requirement not only ensures that the NCSE can provide advice and support as required but also that they have the local knowledge to plan to ensure that adequate special education provision remains available at a local level.
The NCSE is confident that the new provision provided for in Budget 2025 when added to the existing provision will meet the known demand for the 2025/26 school year. Parents seeking a special educational placement should continue to contact the NCSE who will continue to provide advice and support as required.
Of the 400 new special classes places provided for in Budget 2025, the NCSE has advised that 309 of these classes have already been sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year. Of these 208 are at primary level and 101 are at post-primary level. This will add to the over 3,330 special classes currently in operation in the country.
Nationwide, the NCSE continue to engage intensely with schools and school patron bodies to confirm the location of the remaining classes. As the NCSE progress the sanctioning of these classes they will inform parents.
Where new special classes have been sanctioned, I would urge schools to progress the admission of students as soon as possible to ensure that the NCSE can continue to evaluate demand in local areas, sanction classes as required and assist parents in securing a school place.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs.
