(Ireland) "Shortage of special school places"; 2360 short for 2026-2027 school year

June 19, 2026, The Irish Independent’s view: Parents of children with additional needs deserve reassurance on classes | Irish Independent

Weather permitting, outings and sports days are the order of the day in primary schools across the country. The majority of schools will be finishing up their term next Friday. Then there’s the rush for parents to fill the weeks of July and August with activities for their children.

Let’s face it: if you haven’t booked your Cúl Camps place at this stage, you’re in trouble. The good news is the sun is due to come out next week and might even stick around for a while.

However, there is a cohort of parents who will be dreading the end of the school year as they will be filled with trepidation about what is going to happen to their child come September.

A continuing shortage of special school places for children with additional needs and intellectual disabilities is causing undue stress for parents.  A lack of co-ordination by the authorities leaves parents to repeatedly apply for a place in an individual school, only to be turned down again and again. . . .

Taking on the emotional strain of continually advocating for their children, some are even having to protest to highlight their cases.

In multiple areas, there seems to be a specific issue with children transitioning from primary to secondary school, with a lack of available places.

Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton recently confirmed a shortfall of at least 2,360 special school places. She said 5,500 are available, either in special classes or special schools, but 7,860 children are registered with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) as needing a school place for 2026-27. And that figure continues to rise, as those figures date from last October.

Budget 2026 provided for 3,000 new places, and additional funding of €646m was provided by the Government for the Department of Education in April. The Government is well aware of the shortage of special needs places, but the supply is not meeting the demand. As a result, parents are left in limbo, not knowing where their child will be going to school in September. An update on what is going to happen in the new school year is required from the NCSE before the summer break.. . .