Nolan raises lack of special needs classes in Offaly with minister

Offaly has seen 10 new special needs classes established for the 2024/25 school year, bringing the total in the county to 109.

Over 400 new special needs classes, and 300 places in special needs schools were establised nationwide for this school year.

It is estimated that a similar level of new classes will be established each year for the next three years.

The information comes after Laois Offaly Independent TD Carol Nolan raised the lack of units or classrooms for students with autism in her constituency with the government.

Deputy Nolan wrote to the Minister for Education and Skills Norma Foley to ask “ if she is aware that a number of schools within the Laois-Offaly constituency have no mainstream ASD units or classrooms at all” and what measures the Department was taking on the matter.

She received a written answer on Wednesday, October 23, from Minister of State for for Special Education and Inclusion Hildegarde Naughton, who said that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide. The NCSE has recruited special education needs organisers (SENOs), who are currently visiting schools to conduct planning meetings, with up to 800 visits to be held by the end of October.

Minister Naughton added that parents seeking special class placements for their children should contact the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) directly “so their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes”.

Minister Naughton went on to outline the additional classes recently put in place by her Department.

“Over 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in recent years, in this time 11 new special schools have also been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.

“81 of these classes are in County Laois, 13 are new for the 2024/25 school year. In Co. Offaly, there is 109, 10 of these are newly established for this school year.

“Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide and it is estimated that a similar level of provision will be needed each year for the next three years.

“Particularly, demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years. This is due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates. My department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in this regard.

“In October 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting that each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of children progressing from primary school.

"Just this month my department issued a circular to all schools setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. Included in this circular was a reminder of the need for schools to continue planning for this level of provision.

“My department and the NCSE are engaging with schools and school management bodies in relation to the provision of future special classes and are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years,” the minister concluded.