Paul Murphy warns shortfall in promised special classes
Paul Murphy criticised the Government's handling of school places for children with additional needs, saying announced special class numbers fall short and families were driven to protest outside the Department of Education. He argued parents need concrete places - buildings, teachers and SNAs - not spin, and called for stronger legislation and faster allocations ahead of the 2025-26 school year.
Parents of children with additional needs were forced to sleep outside the Department of Education to press for appropriate school places after the Government announced 254 new special classes, fewer than the 400 that had been promised. The transcript records deep frustration from families concerned that official announcements would leave children disappointed.
When the details are examined the transcript says there are not even 254 functioning special classes; correspondence from multiple schools was cited indicating the classes effectively do not exist yet. One quoted school said it is "in discussions with the NCSC about the establishment of a special class, but as it stands, we have received no support to make this happen."
The budget provided for 400 new special classes and 300 new special school places, and the transcript states about 209 of those 400 new special classes have already been sanctioned for 2025-26, for the school year beginning in September. Education officials and the National Council for Special Education are reported to be engaging with stakeholders to try to ensure every child has a place next September.
Five new special schools have been established for the 2025-2026 school year in Cork, two in Dublin, Monaghan and Tipperary. The National Council for Special Education will continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and which schools have capacity to accommodate required provision.
Paul Murphy said existing legislation is not strong enough to ensure schools proactively accept children with special needs, particularly at post-primary level, and urged that children should know by April or May whether they have a place for the following September. He pressed for faster resolution of outstanding cases still pending in March.
Parents camp outside Department of Education
Parents of children with additional needs were forced to sleep outside the Department of Education to press for appropriate school places after the Government announced 254 new special classes, fewer than the 400 that had been promised. The transcript records deep frustration from families concerned that official announcements would leave children disappointed.
Discrepancy in announced special classes
When the details are examined the transcript says there are not even 254 functioning special classes; correspondence from multiple schools was cited indicating the classes effectively do not exist yet. One quoted school said it is "in discussions with the NCSC about the establishment of a special class, but as it stands, we have received no support to make this happen."
Budget figures and sanctioned places for 2025-26
The budget provided for 400 new special classes and 300 new special school places, and the transcript states about 209 of those 400 new special classes have already been sanctioned for 2025-26, for the school year beginning in September. Education officials and the National Council for Special Education are reported to be engaging with stakeholders to try to ensure every child has a place next September.
New special schools and local assessments
Five new special schools have been established for the 2025-2026 school year in Cork, two in Dublin, Monaghan and Tipperary. The National Council for Special Education will continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and which schools have capacity to accommodate required provision.
Calls for stronger legislation and timely decisions
Paul Murphy said existing legislation is not strong enough to ensure schools proactively accept children with special needs, particularly at post-primary level, and urged that children should know by April or May whether they have a place for the following September. He pressed for faster resolution of outstanding cases still pending in March.
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Transcript
On Friday, parents of children with additional needs were forced to sleep outside the Department of Education to try and fight for appropriate school places for their children. Earlier that day, the Government announced 254 new special classes in schools, much less than the 400 that had been promised. When you delve into the details, there are not even 254. I have correspondence with multiple schools saying that these classes effectively do not exist. I quote from one. This particular school is in discussions with the NCSC about the establishment of a special class, but as it stands, we have received no support to make this happen. They requested the announcements that would not be made so that children would not be disappointed. They do not need spin, they need places, that means buildings, that means teachers, that means SNAs. In terms of Deputy Murphy, again, the budget has provided for 400 new special classes and 300 new special school places. The numbers are increasing exponentially. There is a huge growth, as the census shows, the last two census, if you look at the difference between the two in terms of people identifying with disabilities, particularly children with additional needs. About 209 of those 400 new special classes have already been sanctioned for 2025-26. We are talking about for the school year beginning in September. So there is every chance that those 400 new special classes will be approved. I know that Michael Moynihan is working flat out, engaging with all the various stakeholders and the NCSC to make sure that every child will have a place next September, and with Minister Helen McEntee as well. Five new special schools have been established already for the 2025-2026 school year in counties Cork, in Dublin two more, and Monaghan and in Tipperary. And the National Council for Special Education will continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas, and what schools have the capacity to accommodate required provision. I do also think we need to look at legislation to make sure. I think existing legislation isn't strong enough, or certainly should be proactively followed through. I think it should be proactively accepting children with special needs, both primary and post-primary. Post-primary is not as strong as primary in terms of accepting children into their schools, and that's not good enough. We have a constitution, every child is entitled to an education, and there should be no question but that schools take in children in their locality, in their locality, and should be proactively seeking facilities. Now some are, but it's been, on the second level side, it's been too slow, in my view, and we're going to examine that again. And in my view, I think we have to work, up to now the NCSC has been endeavouring to persuade schools and work with schools, but I don't think that's enough. Given the numbers seeking, and every child should know, certainly by May or April, in terms of a place for the following September, now it's March, we still have an opportunity to sort out a lot of cases that are coming our way, and that need resolution.