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(Ireland) "400 new special classes this school year nationwide"

Jan 30, 2025, Irish Independent: 119 special classes sanctioned in Wexford this school year

400 new special classes have been sanctioned for this school year nationwide, with 119 of these classes in Wexford.


On Wednesday, January 22, Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education the status of plans for the development of an additional special educational needs class at Monaseed National School.


Speaking afterwards, Deputy Byrne said the response he received highlighted the number of existing classes but also an awareness of the growing demand for special education in the county.


Deputy Byrne recently visited Monaseed National School and is working with the school to try to secure an additional Special Education Needs class.


As a result of considerable investment in special education in recent years, the vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.


16 of these classes are new for the 2024/25 school year, 13 at primary level and three at post-primary level. Budget 2025 is providing funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide. Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, 11 new special schools have been established and many more expanded. Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places.


Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website. The NCSE have recently recruited additional SENOs, advisors and team managers.


120 SENOs now operate nationwide, four of these are operating solely in County Wexford.


SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas and are currently visiting schools nationwide to conduct planning meetings.


Over 1,000 school planning visits have occurred in recent months. These planning visits have been key to the NCSE in determining what new provision can be provided and it is expected that the NCSE will sanction a number of new special classes in the coming weeks.


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