526. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current shortfall in autism class places; the expected shortfall for September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28572/26]

This government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the national agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. For the 2025/26 school year the NCSE sanctioned 406 new special classes bringing to 3,741 the number of special classes in our schools. Combined with 300 new special school places this has created 2,700 new school places for students with special educational needs.

The approach taken was to maximise the use of existing accommodation in schools to ensure new special classes could open as quickly as possible. This has ensured that 80% of the new classes sanctioned are in schools with available accommodation.

My department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE began sanctioning new special classes in January of this year, which is several months earlier than last year. 432 have been sanctioned to date and more new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of new classes provides clarity for parents and allows schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. The vast majority of new special classes being announced are being provided in available school accommodation which is being reconfigured as a special class. Each special class at primary level is allocated 1 teacher and 2 SNAs and at post-primary level, schools receive 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs.

Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential.