Written Answers Nos. 107-126
107. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the case of a person (details supplied) regarding pension schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4649/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Single Public Service Pension Scheme ("Single Pension Scheme") commenced on 01 January 2013 and applies to all pensionable first-time entrants to the public service from the 01 January 2013 and to former public servants returning to public service after a break of more than 26 weeks. The legislation giving effect to the scheme is the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.
The records of the Department of Education and Youth show that the person concerned ceased employment on 16 September 2016 with Tipperary ETB and resumed employment on 06 November 2017 with the Department of Education and Youth. On the basis that she had recommenced employment in the public service after a break of more than 26 weeks, she was correctly admitted to the Single Pension Scheme.
In relation to the 26 week rule and placement in the Single Pension Scheme, for clarification, the 26 week period refers to 26 calendar weeks as opposed to school weeks.
Furthermore, regarding the 26 week rule, the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation’s regulations are as follows:
The conditions of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme are set out in primary legislation, and have been passed by the Houses of the Oireachtas and we refer to legislation set out in section 10 (5) of the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012.
It outlines the following provisions:
(5) Where on or after the operative date a pensionable public servant who is not a Scheme member ceases to serve in a public service body, then, subject to section 48, that person shall, if he or she subsequently takes up a pensionable office or position within the public service, be regarded as a Scheme member in respect of such subsequent service unless he or she takes up appointment—
(a) under the same contract of employment, or
(b) as a public servant no later than 26 weeks following the last day of service prior to cessation.
In effect, this means that where a public servant who was previously a member of a pre-existing public service pension scheme ceases to be public servant for a period of more than 26 weeks, and is subsequently employed as a pensionable public servant on a new employment contract, then that individual will become a member of the Single Scheme. This provision is applied consistently across all sectors of the public service.
Maternity leave can only be considered as approved leave where it occurs during an employment contract. In this case it coincided with a break in service.
It can be noted from the above that the rules of the Single Pension Scheme are provided for in legislation and there is no provision for any exceptions. Therefore, the person concerned has been correctly entered into the Single Pension Scheme.
108. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Youth , further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1200 and 1201 of 13 January, if he will explain the reason a report is being insisted upon when a letter from the children's disability network team, CDNT, has always sufficed in the past; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4704/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis 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 majority of students with special education needs in this country are supported by their classroom teachers, special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to attend mainstream classes with their peers. This is considered the most inclusive environment for students with special education needs and ensures that students can attend their local school. My Department has significantly increased the resources available to support students with special educational needs in mainstream provision with 15,000 special education teachers and over 12,500 SNAs.
Where students have more complex needs a special class or special school is provided. What is important here is that students have access to a placement that is appropriate to their needs and that is why in October 2024, my Department issued a circular letter to all schools setting out a range of new measures to support the forward planning of special education. Among the new measures introduced was a request for parents of children seeking a special education placement, including students already attending mainstream classes, to notify the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
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.
I am happy to advise that the NCSE have formally sanctioned 168 (105 primary and 63 post-primary) new special classes in 159 schools across the country for the next school year 2026/2027. This is the first tranche of new special classes being sanctioned and is a number of months ahead of last year. The NCSE expect to continue to sanction further new special classes over the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of these classes will provide clarity for parents and allow schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE's website.
An earlier date of 1 October was set for parents to complete the Parents Notify process this year. I understand this earlier date may not suit every family. However, it was introduced to ensure the NCSE can provide clarity for families earlier than in previous years. It will also support forward planning and equip the NCSE with timely information as to what students would be leaving school, transitioning to post-primary specialist places or those seeking specialist placement and entering the education system for the first time.
I would like to stress that the NCSE will continue to support all children and young people made known to them after 1 October in their existing placement with appropriate supports. However, it is critical that the NCSE has as much local information as possible, as early as possible, to effectively plan what new provision is required.
The NCSE remains available to provide advice and support to all families seeking specialist placement and will continue to examine where provision is required for the 2026/27 school year.
109. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if provision will be made similar to section 3 of the Local Government (No. 2) Act 2003 to oblige educational training boards to engage with Oireachtas Members in a similar manner as local authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4707/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overarching legislative and governance arrangements for the ETB sector are as set out in the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 and in the Code of Practice for the Governance of Education and Training Boards which was updated in 2024 by the Department and is based on the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies published by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
In accordance with this framework there are a number of requirements to make information publicly available. In that regard, ETBs are required to publish their Strategy Statements, Annual Service Plans, Annual Reports, and Annual Financial Statements.
In addition, audited ETB Financial Statements and ETB Annual reports are laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas by my Department.
In relation to engagement with Oireachtas Members, the protocol and standards for the provision of information to members of the Oireachtas as set out in Circular 25/2016 Protocol for the Provision of Information to Members of the Oireachtas by State Bodies under the aegis of Government Departments/Offices is applicable to all ETBs.
Chairpersons and Chief Executives of ETBs are also expected to make themselves available to Oireachtas Committees as required.
110. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasons an additional ASD special class was not sanctioned in a post-primary school (details supplied); the criteria applied in determining that the class could not be sanctioned at this time; whether the availability of a modest capital grant to facilitate the fit-out of an additional classroom was considered as part of this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4708/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis 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.
The NCSE have formally sanctioned 168 (105 primary and 63 post-primary) new special classes in 159 schools across the country for the next school year 2026/2027. This is the first tranche of new special classes being sanctioned and is a number of months ahead of last year. The NCSE expect to continue to sanction further new special classes over the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of these classes will provide clarity for parents and allow schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE's website.
Schools seeking to establish new special classes should continue to engage with the NCSE at local level. In sanctioning new special classes, the NCSE have due regard to the level of need in an area and the existing provision, including how many places are expected to be available through the normal movement of students from primary to post-primary or finishing school. Budget 2026 provides funding for over 400 new 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 reach their full potential. I assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all students are successful in accessing an education.
112. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken by her Department to upgrade the building energy rating, BER, rating of all school buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4727/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is leading an ambitious sustainability agenda and has progressed a wide array of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our school buildings as part of our work towards 2030 and 2050 climate targets. This performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design, specification and delivery. My Department's policy is supported by a strong research programme with fifty-six research programmes at various stages.
The first School Sector Climate Action Mandate was published in 2023 and is reviewed and published annually in line with the requirements of the Government’s Climate Action Plan. The School Sector Climate Action Mandate www.gov.ie/en/publication/a1673-school-sector-climate-action-mandate/ has been updated for 2025. The content of the School Sector Climate Action Mandate strongly reflects the requirements of the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate.
The School Sector Technical Climate Action Roadmap 2025 to 2030 www.gov.ie/en/de has also been updated for 2025 and published. The roadmap provides an overview of the school sector requirements and roadmap to 2030 and towards 2050. It includes the strategic vision and outlines the high-level initial trajectory for the school sector delivery of its energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
My Department, in collaboration with the Department of Climate Energy and the Environment, has developed a jointly funded School Sector Decarbonisation Pathfinder Programme. The programme is administered by the Planning and Building Unit in my Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), with devolved delivery support from Education and Training Boards (ETBs). This pathfinder programme currently has 153 projects completed or active decarbonisation projects across Ireland. The Pathfinder 2025 Programme involves heating decarbonisation projects across approximately 65 schools. Under this programme schools will transition towards renewable heat sources, including air-source heat pumps and biomass heating systems. This decarbonisation glide path delivery approach commences the move from high carbon fossil fuel heating provision in existing schools by phasing out as part of the transition to zero carbon all existing high carbon fossil fuel (oil) boilers in schools towards renewable heating, supported where necessary by a high efficiency LPG gas boiler. This programme will be further expanded in 2026 and 2027.
My Department also secured funding through REPowerEU in 2024 to support an expanded school pathfinder decarbonisation and retrofit programme in 2025. Under this initiative, 28 schools progressed to full retrofit works in summer 2025, with all schools transitioning to renewable heating systems as part of the project. Additional funding has since been secured to fund an additional 12 schools under this programme in summer 2026.
Earlier this year, my Department also launched the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS). This multi-annual programme will support schools in implementing sustainable energy measures including cavity wall and attic and roof insulation, windows and doors, LED lighting, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. 1,430 applications were received, of which 198 were approved in the first tranche for commencement in summer 2026.
My Department are delivering an extensive roll out of photovoltaic panels to schools. This sees the provision of 6 kW of Photovoltaic Panels in all schools, funded under the Climate Action Fund. This is providing renewable electricity to these schools for use on site during school opening times and also income for the electricity they export to the grid via the clean export guarantee tariff. This tariff provides an opportunity for micro-and small-scale generators in Ireland to receive payment from their electricity supplier for all excess renewable electricity they export to the grid. To date, over 3,300 schools have been approved for funding with over 2,402 schools so far confirming their installation as complete.
Another key initiative of my department is to establish a national energy profile of all schools. Phase 1 of the energy inventory profile (which comprised all schools across five counties) was completed in 2022 and my Department was successful with an application to REPowerEU in 2024 for funding that will see all remaining schools completed. This work is well underway and involves energy assessors gathering focused information on energy use, building types, age, and size along with an overview of general fabric and energy aspects of electrical and mechanical systems in approximately 3,300 schools.
As part of the energy inventory survey, the Department has developed with support from the SEAI a dedicated energy and carbon rating system for schools called SEACER (School Energy and Carbon Estimated Rating) based on Non-Domestic Energy Assessment Procedures and statistical techniques. The SEACER is a relational database, which performs numerous calculations to determine a SEACER rating. The rating system relational database allows all the data for a large number of schools to be consolidated into a portfolio-wide database.
The results of this survey and the SEACER ratings for schools will enable the Department to identify and prioritise areas for future capital investment in schools, supporting the transition to renewable energy sources and continue to help schools improve the energy rating of their school buildings.
115. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the details of new school buildings completed in 2025. [4760/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra116. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the details of school extensions completed in 2025. [4761/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 116 together.
The current status of all projects, including the details of new school buildings and extension projects completed in 2025, is set out under item number ten at the following link (www.gov.ie). This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
Since 2020, my Department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects along with over 3,700 small-scale improvement works to meet priority maintenance needs and advance energy efficiency and climate goal. In addition, repurposing, and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. Circa 80% of new special classes in 2025/26 are being facilitated in repurposed classroom accommodation. This significant investment has delivered real benefits for school communities.
In July 2025, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026–2030 under the National Development Plan. Building on this allocation, my Department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place requirements.
In delivering Large-Scale projects and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance, and to provide additional capacity through a targeted and prioritised rollout of projects over the 2026–2030 period to meet the most urgent needs.
My Department’s NDP Implementation Plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in an area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional requirements.
117. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a list of the routes added to the school transport scheme in 2025 for primary, secondary and special schools. [4762/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra118. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any existing school transport scheme routes (primary, secondary and special schools) saw increased capacity in 2025; and if so, if she will provide the details of same. [4763/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 118 and 117 together.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the current terms of the School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann and rules have regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child having to travel more than 3.2 kms to or from a pick-up/set down point. Routes are planned on the basis of the locations of children who are eligible for school transport only.
In December 2025, the number of mainstream pupils on school transport was over 151,000. This compares to over 143,700 in December 2025, an increase of approximately 7,300 pupils.
In addition, the number of pupils on dedicated school transport for children with special educational needs was almost 24,500 in December 2025 in comparison to 22,000 in December 2024, an increase of approximately 2,500 pupils.
It is not possible to provide the specific details requested by the Deputy in the manner required.
In addition to the above, in line with the phased implementation of the School Transport Review’s recommendations, the Department began testing the feasibility of a number of approaches through a series of pilot programmes; these pilot programmes are held in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann.
A total of fourteen pilot projects took place in the 2024/2025 school year and are continuing in the current school year. Following the closing date for payment for the 2025/2026 school year the Department, in collaboration with Bus Éireann, assessed where more dedicated school transport/pilots may be successfully delivered, and a further eleven pilots were approved.
All pilots, including those which commenced in the 2024/2025 school year, are being monitored and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025/2026 school year. Findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised School Transport Scheme.
119. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new special classes which were delivered 2025, by county. [4764/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra120. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new special class places that were delivered in 2025, by county. [4765/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra121. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if new special schools were delivered in 2025; and the details of same. [4766/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra122. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new special school places that were delivered in 2025, by county. [4767/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 119 to 122, inclusive, together.
This 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.
Through the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places over recent years, there are now over 30,000 students enrolled in special classes and special schools. 2,700 new places were created for the 2025/26 school year and these, together with the over 1,200 existing places due to students moving on from primary schools and post-primary schools, has meant that close to 4,000 specialist places were made available for the 2025/26 school year.
406 new special classes were sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year, 291 at primary and 115 at post-primary level. This brings to 3,741 the number of special classes currently in operation in the country.
Generally, these classes are resourced at a 6:1 student/teacher ratio and two special needs assistants (SNAs) are allocated to each class.
There are also 129 special schools with approximately 9,226 students enrolled, this includes the 5 new special schools that opened for the 2025/26 school year.
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 website: https://ncse.ie/special-classes.
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.
The NCSE have formally sanctioned 168 (105 primary and 63 post-primary) new special classes in 159 schools across the country for the next school year 2026/2027. This is the first tranche of new special classes being sanctioned and is a number of months ahead of last year. The NCSE expect to continue to sanction further new special classes over the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of these classes will provide clarity for parents and allow schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE's website.
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 reach their full potential.
123. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth how she ensures that all websites operated by her Department are accessible to the visually impaired. [4814/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), provides the underlying infrastructure and technical environment for the gov.ie family of government websites including the website for the Department of Education and Youth. The OGCIO’s design system and implementation approach ensures that accessibility for visually impaired users is a core requirement in the design, development and operation of all websites under its remit.
All OGCIO managed websites are built and maintained in full compliance with Irish and EU accessibility legislation, including the EU Web Accessibility Directive, the Accessibility of Public Sector Bodies Regulations 2020, and the forthcoming EU Accessibility Act 2025. They meet the WCAG 2.1 AA international accessibility standards, and work is underway to transition to WCAG 2.2 AA.
To support high-quality user experience for visually impaired users, the OGCIO applies accessibility best practice, including compatibility with screen readers, maintaining appropriate colour contrast, and ensuring that all gov.ie enabled services can be operated using keyboard-only navigation.
124. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any website or other platform operated by her Department uses an AI-enabled chatbot; if there are plans to use chatbots; in what circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4832/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt present, my Department does not operate any artificial intelligence-enabled chatbots on its website or other platform operated by the Department.
There are currently no approved plans to deploy AI-enabled chatbots.
The Department continues to assess the suitability of AI on a solution-by-solution basis.
125. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total sums spent for each year from 2016 to 2025, inclusive of advertising, by her Department on social media or online platforms, including separately identifying payments to influencers on such platforms; and to set out the annual totals for that period to each specific platform, including but not limited to major platforms (details supplied). [4851/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraBetween 2016 and 2025, the Department of Education and Youth delivered a range of multimedia advertising and public information campaigns, of which digital and social media formed an increasingly important component. These channels were typically used alongside traditional media, such as radio and print, to maximise reach while also ensuring targeted engagement with defined audiences.
Over the last ten years, the Department of Education and Youth has increasingly used online and social media platforms to raise awareness of education-related information for specific target audiences, particularly parents and guardians. This shift reflects changes in media consumption habits, with these audiences now more likely to access information through digital and social channels. Online and social platforms also allow for greater precision in targeting and timing, ensuring that public information messages are delivered efficiently, cost-effectively, and at scale.
The accompanying table outlines total expenditure by year on advertising across online and social media platforms by the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2018 to 2025, inclusive. While the department sought to capture figures for 2016 and 2017, its media buying agency at the time, has confirmed that data for those years is no longer available.
No expenditure has been incurred to date on social media or online campaigns in 2026. In addition, it should be noted that the Department has not spent any funds on influencer marketing at any point during the period 2016 to 2026.
Campaigns in this period include the Teaching Transforms, which has been ongoing since 2018, to promote the teaching profession and encourage post-primary and third level students to apply for programmes of initial teacher education. This involves two bursts annually, one in January to advise of CAO deadline and again ahead of the CAO change of mind deadline in July. The various phases of the multimedia campaign have used a range of channels, including digital (online video and social media), radio (traditional and digital), and print (national papers and college press).
The Department has, over the last number of years, engaged in public information campaigns in respect of school reopening, to ensure widespread awareness of public health advice in the context of COVID-19. It has undertaken targeted advertising and awareness campaigns for students involved in the 2020 Calculated Grades process and the 2021 Leaving Certificate and Accredited Grades process to ensure awareness of the changed procedures under these models, necessitated by the pandemic.
Other campaigns have included school transports advertising since 2023 to let parents and guardians of school-aged children (particularly in rural Ireland) know about the Bus Eireann portal, there they can check eligibility for free school transport and or register and pay for school bus tickets. The campaign is run in two bursts, one when the portal opens and a second to inform the audience of its closing date. This is another multimedia campaign that comprises regional and national print media, radio and digital/social. Similarly, the Department has run a multimedia campaign in recent years in relevant bursts to advise of the Free School Books initiative and both primary and post-primary level.
From 2015 to 2018, the Department ran a series of multimedia campaigns on European Schools recruitment, Language Connect Awareness Initiatives and Out-of-School Education provision.
126. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a request to open two additional special classes will be sanctioned by the NCSE for a school (details supplied); when the next tranche of sanctioned schools will be announced; if she will ensure that the information will be communicated to parents and schools in the first instance, and not Government Teachtaí Dála; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4973/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra127. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a request to open two additional special classes will be sanctioned by the NCSE for a school (details supplied); when the next tranche of sanctioned schools will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4974/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 126 and 127 together.
This 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.
The NCSE have formally sanctioned 168 (105 primary and 63 post-primary) new special classes in 159 schools across the country for the next school year 2026/2027. This is the first tranche of new special classes being sanctioned and is a number of months ahead of last year. The NCSE expect to continue to sanction further new special classes over the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of these classes will provide clarity for parents and allow schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
Schools seeking to establish new special classes should continue to engage with the NCSE at local level. In sanctioning new special classes, the NCSE have due regard to the level of need in an area and the existing provision, including how many places are expected to be available through the normal movement of students from primary to post-primary or finishing school. Budget 2026 provides funding for over 400 new 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 reach their full potential.
