Darren O'Rourke
Ceist:439. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the special school in Meath due to open for the coming school year (details supplied). [44669/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 5 November 2024
Ceisteanna (439)
Freagraí scríofa
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
Cara Community Special School located in Enfield County Meath opened on 10 September 2024. It initially enrolled eighteen students. It's patron is Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB). My department have been supporting the patron and the school in its establishment.
11 new special schools have been established and many more expanded, four of these are new special schools for this school year. These schools have opened in counties Kildare, Limerick, Meath and Wexford. In addition almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in recent years, For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,337. 156 of these classes are in County Meath, 23 are new for this school year, 16 in primary and 7 at post-primary level.
Just last month Minster Foley and I announced that another five special schools will be established for the next school year 2025/26 in counties Cork, Dublin (2), Monaghan and Tipperary. The exact location, size of the schools and other details are currently being worked through.
These special schools will provide for children and young people with complex special education needs up to 18 years of age. They have been sanctioned as early as possible as part of advanced forward planning for the next school year to ensure that appropriate placements are available where needed to meet the needs of students with special educational needs.