Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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172. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on an extension to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43673/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy that an Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) application was received from the school in question.

The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area.

In general, demographics have been falling at primary level and are due to continue to decrease. Therefore the Department considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity at primary level in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs. This is in line with public spending requirements.

The Department’s Planning and Building Unit is therefore carefully analysing the medium to longer-term requirements for additional accommodation taking account of enrolment projections and the need to make optimum use of existing capacity in schools in the area.

Our main focus is on the most critical needs for the next school year. In the context of making most effective use of our capital allocation, and mindful of climate action goals, we are working to make sure that all school accommodation capacity is being maximised. We are looking at how each individual school’s accommodation can be best utilised and at capacity across schools in each school planning area.

I can confirm that an official from the department made contact with the school during the summer months in relation to providing additional supporting documentation. This documentation was subsequently received, and the official sought further clarification from the school in relation to their application. The clarification was received from the school and this is now being considered as part of the assessment process.

I can assure the Deputy that we are working to get a decision communicated to the school as soon as possible.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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173. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide any detail available on the recent announcement concerning the intention to establish a new special school in County Tipperary; if it will be a new build or the upgrading of an existing one; the capacity needs upon which this decision is being taken; the anticipated capacity of such a school; the location or area of Tipperary it is earmarked for; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43684/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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176. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding provided in Budget 2025 towards the provision of a special school in County Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43687/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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177. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the announced approval of a special school in County Monaghan, the location proposed for the school; the date of opening; the number of children that will be facilitated in the school upon opening; the numbers of staff and each staff role that will be provided at the school upon opening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43688/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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178. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the announced approval of a special school in County Monaghan, the criteria that will be applied for successful applicants; if she can assure that the school will accept applications relating to all children with profound special needs including those with autism and those without autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43689/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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179. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process that determined Monaghan would be allocated a special school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43690/24]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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180. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to the announced approval of a special school in County Monaghan, if the school will be housed in permanent buildings upon opening or if it will be based in temporary units; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43691/24]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 173, 176, 177, 178, 179 and 180 together.

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.

Over 1,700 new special classes and 11 special schools have been provided in recent years. For this school year alone, over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned with classes provided in every county, and four new special schools have been established.

There has been a strong emphasis on forward planning, and just last week 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 schools will provide for children and young people with complex special education needs up to 18 years of age. They are being 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.

The announcement of these schools is a significant step forward. I know there has been a strong demand in Monaghan in particular for the county’s first special school. Part of the forward planning process looks at how far students are travelling to access an education appropriate to their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision making process. In addition, information held on the department's Geographical Information System (GIS), particularly in relation to student demographics and other statistical data also forms part of the process. NCSE knowledge of the need for special school places at local level is a key element also.

The early announcement of the new schools is an important milestone because it allows more time for the planning of school admissions, recruitment of staff, staff training and completion of necessary building works.

It is envisaged that existing buildings will be repurposed to facilitate the opening of the new special schools for the 2025/26 school year. Further details such as the precise location of the new schools in each county will be confirmed in due course as part of the finalisation of arrangements for the opening of the new special schools.

Dedicated working groups will be established to support the establishment of each of the new special schools.

Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein)
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174. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being taken to address the capacity constraints at a school in Cashel (details supplied); when the Department intends to assist in providing additional premises on land owned by the school; if the Department will commit to ensuring the portacabins being used at the school are replaced through the establishment of permanent structures as previously discussed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43685/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question has submitted an application for capital funding, under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority 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.

For 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. This will allow for, amongst other things, the opening of up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and 300 additional special school places.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department of Education’s total allocation for 2023.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. The Department and the NCSE are working closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process to ensure a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school-year and is committed to delivering an inclusive educational environment for all pupils. The Department and the NCSE continue to work closely in planning for the delivery of new places required to meet forecasted demand. The forward planning for special education includes a new circular letter 0080/2024 setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. This was issued in early October by the Department to all schools, following intensive stakeholder engagement.

Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build on the good progress being made on adding capacity to cater for demographic changes and provision for children with special educational needs. This investment will also facilitate an increased focus on the modernisation of existing school stock and help transition the school system for an era of net zero carbon by 2050.

Since 2020 over 50 school building projects have been completed in special schools delivering over circa. 220 new classrooms and over 760 new classrooms for SEN provision have been built in mainstream schools.

I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is currently assessing options with a view to identifying the optimum solution for the long-term accommodation needs of the school. In this regard the Department approved the provision of modular accommodation of 4 classrooms for Scoil Aonghusa to cater for immediate needs. This project has since been completed.

My officials are also currently engaging with the school as part of the assessment process for the school’s longer-term accommodation needs with a view to making the most appropriate provision possible for the school and for its current and future students.