Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 February 2026
171. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the most recent number of children in Kildare who are waiting to be allocated a special class place in a mainstream primary school; the number in Kildare who are waiting on a special class place in a mainstream secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13349/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra172. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the most recent number of children in Kildare who are waiting to be allocated a special school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13350/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 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.
For the 2025/26 school year the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) advise that a small number of special class places remain in many counties in the country for those still seeking placement. While these places may not be in a preferred school, vacancies do exist.
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.
This notification process will provide the NCSE with critical information on children who continue to need a special class as they progress to post-primary level as well as details on students who require a place for the first time.
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 last month, which is several months earlier than last year. 301 have been sanctioned to date and many more new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of new classes provides clarity for parents and allows schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. The vast majority of new special classes being announced are being provided in available school accommodation which is being reconfigured as a special class.
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.
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.
