Record number of special education classes to open this September

This year, 2,535 classes will open, which is an increase of 383 on the previous academic year.

A record number of special classes will open their doors this school year as Minister of State for Special Education Josepha Madigan hailed significant progress.

This year, 2,535 classes will open, which is an increase of 383 on the previous academic year.

An additional 2,312 new class places will ensure 15,759 students will have a special class place this year.

Three new  special schools are being created to provide places.

St Michael's House will have a new site provided by the Department of Education at Swords, Co Dublin, while the Spiritan Education Trust will be given a new special school on Dublin's southside.

In Cork, the new Rochestown Community Special School will open its doors in the coming school year.

Planning has advanced for the opening of the new Rochestown school.

The process of recruiting a principal and staff is already under way and the school is working through its admission process.

Once established, the school will be able to cater for up to 30 students and, on a phased basis, is expected to grow its capacity to provide up to 64 school places once a new permanent school building is provided.

Ms Madigan said there had been significant progress made in recent months in terms of sanctioning additional classes by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

Earlier this year, Josepha Madigan faced backlash after a proposal to send children with additional needs who cannot access school places to 'special education centres'. Picture: Collins 

“In terms of special school places, I want to acknowledge the work of the NCSE and the school patrons, including St Michael’s House, the Spiritans and Cork ETB who have engaged positively in both Dublin and Cork," said Ms Madigan.

"As a result, we are now in a position to provide a significant number of additional special school places with the creation of three new special schools."

Responding to criticism that there was no forward planning in order to identify areas of need and ensure there are adequate places available for children, Ms Madigan said measures had been put in place to address it.

"I think that we now have a forward planning system in place where the geographical information system from the planning building unit in the department to share directly with the National Council for Special Education so we can see in real time where capacity is needed."

Ms Madigan said the number of people with additional needs was rising exponentially as Junior Minister Anne Rabbitte was working to reduce the waiting list for the Assessment of Need.

Earlier this year, Ms Madigan faced backlash after a proposal to send children with additional needs who cannot access school places to "special education centres".

Speaking on RTÉ radio's Today with Claire Byrne show, Ms Madigan said the plan had only ever been a proposal, as the Department of Education and the NCSE sought to come up with alternatives to home tuition.

"This was in the context where we didn't have places for children come September. That is now not an issue because we do have places for children in September," said Ms Madigan.

"I would always be of the view that children should be included and integrated into schools insofar as we can."

Ms Madigan said no proposal would become policy without the approval of the special education consultative forum she had established.

She assured a consultative approach would be sought in relation to all measures they try to bring in.