Hundreds of children to be denied school place this year due to shortage of special classes

Labour’s education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny questioned the Taoiseach on whether the high number of applications this years means 600 special classes were required for this September. File picture: Danny Lawson/PA Wire

Hundreds of students may be blocked from accessing an appropriate education this year, as there are not currently enough school places for all children who require special classes.

The Dáil Public Accounts Committee has heard there are not enough special classes available for the next academic year to meet the demand that is currently there for September 2026.

As fallout from the SNA controversy continued this week, the Dáil heard fears hundreds of students may be denied an appropriate school place for the upcoming school year.

On Wednesday, Labour’s education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny questioned the Taoiseach on whether the high number of applications this years means 600 special classes were required for this September.  

The Department of Education has funding to open 400 special classes attached to mainstream schools, which can take in a maximum of six students.   

In response, Micheál Martin confirmed demand this year "increased exponentially". 

Representatives from the department appeared before the Public Accounts Committee on Thursday, where they confirmed to Mr Kenny the current resources did not meet the current demand for places. 

Mr Kenny said: “The fundamental issue is clear.” 

“Right now, and albeit, I don't doubt your work on it, [but] right now, we do not have enough school places for children who require special classes for the coming year.” 

Department of Education secretary general Bernie McNally said: “We are working on that, and we're finalising that plan, and we will publish the numbers and our plan to respond to that need very soon.” 

Mr Kenny said: “The plan will have to include an extra allocation of funding from Department of Education or from the Department of Public Expenditure to open extra classes to meet the demand that wasn't envisaged.”

"The level of demand is more than what we currently have. We will more than likely have to go back to the kitty, get extra money, and that's going to be more than likely to plan: go back to the kitty, get extra money and open extra special classes." 

He also raised fears around special school provision, as they "can't be built overnight." 

He asked if Government leaders were aware “we currently do not have the level of resources to match the level of need.”

“The leaders are aware that there are substantially increased needs coming down the track,” Ms McNally said. 

“They're aware that we don't have the resources to match that yet,” Mr Kenny asked. 

She replied: “They're aware that we have further analysis to do to ensure that we can meet the need.” 

A memo is expected to go to Government shortly, outlining the increased need, Martina Mannion, assistant secretary general, told the committee. 

“The numbers of coming forward have increased. So, we are engaging with the National Council for Special Education, and we understand that this will be the subject of a memo for Government with further detail as to how we would go forward to meeting the need.” 

She added: “We're much further on than we were last year. We have 301 classes sanctioned already this year, which is number of months earlier than they would have been last year.”