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.
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 year to facilitate earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year, an earlier date of 1 October was set for parents to complete the process.
This new timeline was publicised widely and communicated with schools and special education advocacy groups and parent representative bodies. The NCSE also undertook a lot of work at local level to ensure that families were aware of the process and consequently report a significant level of engagement and contact from families before 1 October.
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 also supports 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.
Due to the increasing number of children and young people who came to the attention of the NCSE after the 1 October timeline, the NCSE, following engagement with my department, continued to issue letters of eligibility to children and young people who meet the criteria for a special class or special school placement. This has been an ongoing process.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an admissions policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
Under the provisions of this act, all schools are required to have admissions policies which have been approved by the patron following consultation with staff and parents of students who are attending the school. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.
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.
