323. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address the funding shortfall facing schools with sanctioned SEN classes, where the standard capital and start-up grants do not cover the full cost of equipping a dedicated sensory room; if her Department will increase the baseline sensory room grant or introduce a flexible top-up mechanism. [67197/26]

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.

My department and the NCSE have sanctioned 587 new special classes for the school year 2026/27, including 70 inclusive special classes. This is one of many ways my department is actively engaging to meet the increased demand. This brings the total number of special classes sanctioned to date to over 4,300. Forward planning has already commenced ahead of the 2027/28 school year.

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 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.

By way of clarification, schools which opened special classes in previous years could apply for funding supports that were available at the time those classes were established. Historically, the available grants totalled approximately €22,700 and comprised separate funding streams for:

• Start-Up Grant (€6,500)

• Loose Furniture & Equipment Grant (€2,500)

• ICT Grant (€6,700)

• Sensory Room Grant (€7,000)

Under the Department's streamlined approach, these individual grants have been replaced by a single SEN start up grant of €30,000 for each new SEN classroom sanctioned and opened through the repurposing of existing accommodation. The current funding arrangements increase the available funding from approximately €22,700 to €30,000 per new special class.

Schools receiving the €30,000 SEN start up grant may use this funding at their discretion to meet the needs of the special class and to support its establishment and operation.

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.