Over 250 children may have no school place, but minister refuses to confirm numbers

In counties like Tipperary, Kerry, Limerick, and Clare, there are no children waiting on a place, minister for education Helen McEntee said

Minister for education Helen McEntee refused to provide the number of students currently awaiting a special education placement for September, telling the committee the number is changing every day. File photo: Brian Lawless/PA

As many as 260 children could still be without a school place for this September, although an official figure was not provided to the Oireachtas education committee.

Minister for education Helen McEntee refused to provide the number of students currently awaiting a special education placement for September, telling the committee the number is changing every day.

Following her first appearance to the committee, it will now request an update from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on the 3,275 students that have a recommendation for a special class or special school place for September 2025.

Last week, Ms McEntee told the Dáil that 92% of the students notified to the NCSE had been allocated a school place.

On Wednesday, Sinn Féin education spokesperson Darren O’Rourke asked the minister to provide the number of children who haven’t yet received a place.

“Is that 260?” he asked. In response, Ms McEntee said the 92% relates to primary and post-primary. “Then special schools are somewhat different,” she said, adding that Dublin is also a “more complex” area.

Mr O’Rourke asked again how many children from the 3,275 previously referenced do not have a place, to which the minister responded: “That is changing everyday.” Mr O’Rourke asked again, adding that it is “not a trick question”.

Ms McEntee said the 92% relates to primary and post primary schools.

The minister said:

In special schools, it's a slightly lower number. That’s being worked through at the moment, but it is changing every day.

“The figure that I might give you now is different to what it was yesterday. Even today there are children being allocated places," she said.

In counties like Tipperary, Kerry, Limerick, and Clare, there are no children waiting on a place, she added. "Its different in every county.”

Ms McEntee intends to bring an update to Cabinet in July, she told the committee. 

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Mr O'Rourke also asked the minister about the progress in opening 400 sanctioned new special classes for this September for the more than 3,000 children who have an offer. "Will all of those children be in a school place on September 1?" he asked. 

The NCSE is working with schools and parents, the minister said. 

“As things change, they are updating parents,” she added. Roughly 80% of the new classes have been sanctioned for re-purposed school buildings. The remaining 20% require modular classrooms.