Minister vows to provide detailed plans for securing special school spots for vulnerable children
Michael Moynihan, the Minister with responsibility for special education, addressed the Oireachtas committee on disability matters regarding the allocation of special education places for the 2026-2027 school year. However, the search results do not provide information about the organisation commissioned for this task.
During the discussion, Minister Moynihan acknowledged the concerns raised by committee members about the number of children without a special school place. He stated that they are working to provide additional help and assured that all children who need a special school place or a special class in a mainstream school in September 2026 will know where they are going before the end of this year.
Fine Gael TD for Mayo, Keira Keogh, disagreed with the minister's assertion that there are fewer than 10 children without a special school place. She referenced a school that is forced to take two new children with special needs, but the principal cannot safely enroll them due to a lack of supports, including special needs assistants. Keogh also mentioned a student who is technically in school but in an inappropriate mainstream setting due to a lack of changing facilities and a low fence.
Ruairí Ó Murchú, Sinn Féin TD for Louth, expressed similar concerns about a significant number of children who are not in appropriate special education placements. Ó Murchú's party's information suggests that there are children sitting at home due to unmaterialized buildings, children in mainstream schools who have requested special classes, and children in special classes who want to be in special schools.
Minister Moynihan also acknowledged that there are issues in the special education sector that they are not blind to. He addressed the concerns by announcing an earlier deadline of October 1st for parents to notify the National Council for Special Education about their child's need for a special education place. This deadline aims to 'take the stress' out of the process for families.
Parents whose child will need a special education place next year are urged to notify the National Council for Special Education by October 1st. The minister assured that they are working extremely hard with the families to find a solution for the less than 10 children without a special school place for the current school year. The National Council for Special Education and the Department of Education will make serious decisions based on the information they receive by October 1st.
The minister's statement about the number of children without a special school place received pushback from some committee members. A student with mild disabilities may face an uncertain future due to the redesignation of special schools. The earlier deadline of October 1st is considerably earlier than in previous years when parents had until the spring to notify the NCSE.
Despite the challenges, Minister Moynihan acknowledged the concerns and assured the committee that they are committed to finding solutions to ensure every child receives the appropriate special education they need.
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