Special Educational Needs
Dail Éireann — 2026-01-22
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Michael Moynihan (FF), Cork North-West

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue because it allows me to outline where things are at. Two weeks ago, we announced the first tranche of the special classes. There will be multiples of those over the next number of weeks. It is not the case that it is just the number of classes that were announced as opening two weeks ago; there are a number of them.
To reassure the Deputy, we are aware of the challenges in Wicklow, both on a special school and special class basis. I will deal with this in two pieces, if the Deputy does not mind. We moved the date to 1 October because when I came into this position last year, the deadline was 1 February. Due to Storm Éowyn and so forth, it was really 1 March before we understood the level of need. We moved back the date so that we could plan properly for right across the country and see the level of need that was there. There has been a volume of work done since the middle of October when the figures were correlated to try to meet the demand within the communities.
On the point the Deputy made in relation to travelling, some of the onerous journeys that children with additional needs are travelling would try anybody. It is hugely important that we put the class in where the need is within the community.
In the first instance, I reassure the Deputy that we will be opening more classes. They will be announced over the next number of weeks. We will be announcing them on a phased basis. The NCSE and the Department are working meticulously through the numbers, along with school authorities, some of which have been absolutely fantastic in putting their hands up and saying they will take a special class. We are moving with that. We have challenges in other parts of the country where we will have to work extremely hard with patron bodies and school authorities to make sure we have special classes there. There is a lot of work ongoing in relation to this. We met right up to 23 December and we were meeting early in January to do it.
Regarding the children who were notified after 1 October, in a previous contribution I made to the Deputy, I said we were acutely aware of it. We are striving to make sure that all children will have school places. That is what I set out at the very start when I was appointed almost a year ago now. We are working to that basis. We understand the challenges that are there. Regarding what the Deputy has raised with me, I have seen it coming through quite clearly where there is a school place but the letter of eligibility is the issue.
I assure the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education and the Department of education are working very diligently to try to resolve those matters.
Regarding Wicklow, I reassure the Deputy that we are aware of the need within Wicklow. While only three special classes were on the list last week, there will be many more to follow. If we are to meet the need in Wicklow, there will be special schools and special school places. I assure the Deputy we will. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. It is important that, in the Dáil, we give information to families because they are stressed and challenged about this. We are working extremely hard. We understand their plight and their difficulties and stresses. We are trying to make sure the system works. We are changing the dates and bringing them forward. This is for better planning so that we have a better system in the future than we have had heretofore.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-01-22/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:32+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-01-22