(Ireland) 400 SPED classes promised--"All but ONE will cater to students with autism"

Mar 18, 2026, Further 36 special classes to open in mainstream schools

An additional 36 special classes have been sanctioned to open in mainstream schools from this coming September.

It brings the total number of new classes approved to open for the next academic year to 387.

The Government has promised a total of 400 additional classes, catering for 2,400 children. All but one of the new classes will cater for students with autism.

The National Council for Special Education has said it is prioritising the sanctioning of classes in schools that have available accommodation.

This includes all of the 36 new classes announced today, 19 of which are in primary schools with 17 at post primary level. . . .

At least 400 additional special classes are due to open this September. But the demand appears to be even greater still, with the Taoiseach signalling in the Dáil that the number of applications for specialised school places received by a preliminary 1 October deadline had been "over and above anything contemplated".

The data gathered by 1 October and since is being processed and the Department of Education and Youth has said it will provide an update on the figures when that work is done.

The 36 additional classes announced are the fifth tranche to be approved. Seven of the newly approved classes are in Dublin, five are in Cork with another five in Limerick.

Counties Kildare and Kilkenny have both had four additional classes special classes sanctioned.

The department said almost 3,000 new special education placements would be created for September 2026. This includes additional places in special schools. These places are in addition to placements created due to the natural movement of students, such as those transitioning from primary to post primary or those completing school. . . .

It said approximately 80% of all new special classes are being provided in schools with existing accommodation.

"The Department is supporting those schools with additional grant funding to facilitate any necessary re-purposing works.

Where schools require additional accommodation, usually in the form of modular accommodation, this is being fast-tracked by the department to be delivered as quickly as possible," it added. . . .