2025-12-11

88. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of notifications through the NCSE's parent notify portal by the 1 October 2025 deadline; the number of parents who have contacted the NCSE after the deadline with a recommendation for a special class or a special school place; the way in which both categories of applications, pre- and post 1 October, will be progressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71048/25]

The Government is committed to the accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places next year by providing at least 3,000 new places in locations where it best meets existing and future demand. The provision of timely information is a key requirement to support the forward planning of new special education provision. The National Council for Special Education is the statutory body tasked with sanctioning new special education provision in our schools. The council is reviewing and assessing information provided through the parents' notification process, which closed on 1 October. I understand that the National Council for Special Education will commence sanctioning new special classes for 2026-27 this week, which is four months ahead of last year. The new timeline of 1 October was publicised widely and communicated to schools, special education advocacy groups and parent representative bodies. The council also undertook a lot of work at local level to ensure that families were aware of the timeline and the process. This earlier date in October coincides with when schools begin enrolment processes and so affords parents the opportunity to enrol in existing classes. Many mainstream schools, particularly at post-primary level, commence admissions processes for the following school year on 1 October annually. The council advises that the majority of children and young people coming through the parents notify process and seeking a special class or a special school place for the 2026-27 school year are already enrolled in school and are being supported by existing special education teachers and special needs assistants. As with other applications for support, it is important that those who come forward after the closing date are assured that they are not forgotten or excluded from the system. I stress that the council will continue to support all children made known to it after 1 October in their existing placement with appropriate supports. At the same time, it is critical that the council has as much local information as possible as early as possible to effectively plan new provision.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit, but he did not answer the question I asked. If he had done, he would have given me some numbers. He would have given me the numbers notified through the portal by 1 October and the numbers that have contacted the NCSE. Does he have those figures? It is a terrible reflection on the system if he does not have them because the whole point of this new procedure is that we have a system that accounts for demand. Does the Minister of State have those figures, and if so, what are they? That will give us a clear picture of the demand that has been indicated and the impact. There is lots of concern that people missed the deadline because they did not have a recommendation or were not aware of the deadline. It is the first year of it. I ask the Minister of State to give us some indication of that if he can.

On the deadline, there was a huge amount of concern, particularly over recent years, that we were not planning properly for special classes and special schools in an early and a timely fashion. We brought forward the 1 October deadline and announced that earlier this year to bring greater clarity and certainty because families last year, particularly in the March-April period, were fierce frustrated not knowing what the future held in education terms for their children. We brought forward the 1 October deadline. The deadline was put in place to ensure we knew what the demand was for 1 September 2026. Those figures are being gone through meticulously to make sure that the classes are opened where the demand is and that we understand where the demand is. A lot of that work is ongoing. We hope to announce a number of the classes this week, but there is a huge amount of work still going through where the numbers are. The engagement between the council and the families is ongoing. I might come back on a few of the other issues the Deputy raised.

This has been the experience for a couple of years now but I must say that I absolutely despair at the lack of basic information for Opposition TDs and the general public on this point. Earlier this week, another curveball or grenade - call it whatever you want - was thrown into the system and has caused major concern. That is the issue of what is now a recommendation. What does it mean for children and assessments of need this year and next? The Irish National Teachers Organisation, INTO, said yesterday that it was deeply disappointed. It said this was an act of bad faith and that the Departments of education and children and equality did not consult the INTO. It seems that the Department of children and its Minister are saying that in the future, the Department of education will reach an agreement. What exactly is the state of affairs there? Teachers and principals contact us regularly. They are deeply concerned that they will have an additional responsibility that many feel they are not qualified to deliver.

For the assessment of need and because of the challenges we face, there is no doubt but that we need to move away from the model we have. We need to get therapists to children faster and not be tied up in too much bureaucracy. There has been a huge push to have assessments of need. Right now, you do not need an assessment of need to access education. A lot of work has been done, and I know that officials are meeting education partners today to bring clarity on the very question asked by the Deputy. We will certainly bring extreme clarity. If this system is to work within education, all our education partners must have bought in, including the teacher unions and people right across the education spectrum. Every one of those people plays a significant role in special education. I assure the Deputy that intense work is ongoing at the moment to ensure we bring absolute clarity to the roles involved in decision-making, and that decisions are guided by the best possible outcomes for children. Those will be finalised. We will update the House when those issues are agreed between the various education partners.