Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
308. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that a child (details supplied) is awarded a place in a special school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53103/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I will arrange for your query to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas email address.
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.
Special schools publish their admission notice which sets out the number of places available for the next enrolment intake. Capacity is subject to multiple factors that are dependent on the individual needs of the student.
SNA posts are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the students enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated.This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE website at SNA Review - NCSE. Each case is individually assessed and is based on the student profile of each school.
