'Not acceptable' children with special needs having to travel long distances to access school place, minister says

Education minister Hildegarde Naughton said she acknowledged parents' 'frustrations' and said the Government was spending €3bn a year on special education

New plan will see the completion of close to 300 projects currently under construction. It aims to deliver more than 30,000 additional units, as well as an announcement later in the year on additional special classes.

It is not acceptable children with additional needs are asked to travel long distances to access school places, the education minister has admitted.

Hildegarde Naughton was speaking in Blanchardstown as she launched her department's €7.55bn National Development Plan Sectoral Investment Plan for 2026 to 2030.

Ms Naughton was asked by the Irish Examiner about the case of Áine Curtin, a woman from Dublin West whose daughter was due to begin secondary school later this year, but has been told here is no space in the additional needs unit of the local school.

This, Ms Curtin said, has led to a sustained fight with authorities. She has been told her daughter may need to travel to other counties to secure a school place, a situation Ms Curtin had said she "will not accept".

Ms Naughton said the sectoral investment plan would address the issues in Ms Curtin's and others' cases.

The plan will see the completion of close to 300 projects currently under construction. It aims to deliver more than 30,000 additional units, as well as an announcement later in the year on additional special classes.

"It isn't acceptable that children have to travel long distances to get the place that they want. That's why this investment is so important.

"I absolutely acknowledge that there are frustrations there," Ms Naughton said.

The minister said the Government was spending €3bn a year on special education and this was evidence of its commitment to the area.

Ms Naughton's announcement will see €5bn of NDP funding used to support a "prioritised project rollout" to provide additional capacity and modernisation of facilities with a "strong special education dimension to all projects". 

There will also be €2.25bn for supporting existing school estates in terms of maintenance, minor works and ICT grant funding, as well as climate measures, and a €300m contingency fund.

However, Ms Naughton rejected the idea her home county of Galway, which has 10 schools listed in the 105 priorities for 2026-27, had unduly benefited.

“There are a number of counties where there is a large number of schools listed. 

"For example, in Kildare, which would be a large commuter area. The population is increasing there.

“There is ongoing demand in these areas in relation to the demographics and these are decisions that we have to make around projects that maybe have got planning permission, have had a lot of engagement with the Department [of Education] and are really under pressure in those specific areas. It’s a rolling document right out to 2030."