Five new special schools are to open next year as part of a bid to avoid the annual scramble by authorities to find appropriate school places.
Children with special educational needs are regularly left without appropriate school places each September, an issue that is often highlighted by their families and the Ombudsman for Children.
Last month as the new term began, the office of the Ombudsman for Children warned it was concerned there is still no coherent plan to ensure that every child with special educational needs has a school place locally in a timely manner.
The five new special schools, which are to be based in Cork, Dublin, Tipperary, and Monaghan, are to be opened next September by the Department of Education because expanding places in existing schools will not meet the level of need in these areas.
The schools are expected to open in existing buildings, which will be repurposed for the 2025/26 school year.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is also targeting medium to large primary schools that do not have room to open special classes for the 2025/2026 school year.
The NCSE is also reminding all post-primary schools to continue to plan to provide four special classes.
New “streamlined” arrangements to support the re-purposing of existing accommodation to facilitate opening new special classes have also been developed.
Planning for new schools to begin immediately
Planning for the establishment and opening of the new special schools will begin immediately, according to the Department of Education.
This includes determining the size of the required schools so that the necessary staff recruitment, school policy development and related arrangements can be put in place.
Further details in relation to the location of the new schools, the admissions process and the number of places to be offered will be confirmed shortly.
Details of the patron body for each new special school will also be confirmed shortly.
Last week, the Dáil heard how a seven-year-old Monaghan child was forced to make a four-hour round trip on a bus to attend a special school in a neighbouring county because there are no facilities. Co Monaghan is one of only two counties nationwide without a special needs school.
Education Minister Norma Foley said the announcement of the new schools reflects “the very strong emphasis on forward planning and roll-out of provision for children and young people with special educational needs”.
Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education Hildegarde Naughton said she is “determined” to support students and families in securing school places where they are needed. “The Department and the NCSE are undertaking significant work with schools to ensure that additional SEN provision is sanctioned as early as possible ahead of the next school year.”
