I want to raise an urgent and deeply concerning issue regarding the opening of a new special school in Balbriggan and the 18 children who have been allocated places there. Parents were given the news to a fanfare of local government and Oireachtas Members tripping over themselves back in April to be the first ones to announce on social media that the school would open in the 2026-27 academic year. Because applications had been made, places were allocated and families made decisions based on the information they were given at the time.

The parents I have spoken to have said securing special school places for children with additional needs has been hugely important to them. Families have waited and hoped for these places and when their child was finally offered a place, parents understandably believed that the arrangements were in place for their child to attend. In this case, however, that confidence has been completely undermined by a serious failure in communication. Throughout the summer, parents repeatedly sought updates. They were told that a meeting would take place in early August and that information about the opening arrangements would be provided, but no clarification came.

Towards the end of August, families were told to keep their children in their existing education placements. At that stage, however, it was too late. Instead, families were left believing the children were about to transition into their new school, only to discover at the last minute that this would not happen as expected.

If families had been clearly advised at the beginning of the summer that they needed to retain their child's existing school place as a contingency, they would have made those arrangements. They have also been offered home tuition, which my office has done its best to try to find but, unfortunately, that is also completely full. We are now talking about 18 children with additional needs who have already faced weeks without appropriate education provision and now could be facing into months of this. That is not a minor administrative inconvenience.

For a child with additional needs, school provides more than just a classroom education. It provides structure, routine, communication opportunities, social interaction, special support and a sense of security. When that is suddenly removed, there can be serious consequences. One family described their child as crying themselves to sleep, has asked through his communication device for his old school friends and has watched his siblings go off to school in the morning while he stays at home. His mother told me she feels completely lost in trying to advocate for her son. Since being out of school, that child has experienced increased distress, severe meltdowns, difficulties with sleep and regression in toileting skills that had taken huge time and effort to establish. That is the real-life impact of this situation.

It is important to recognise parents cannot simply recreate a special needs school environment in their home. Many of these parents are already providing huge levels of care. They are being asked to manage children whose routines and supports have been disrupted while trying to care for other children and maintain their own family responsibilities. I promised my constituents I would ask the Minister of State to confirm an opening date for the school.

When will these children be able to take up the places they have been allocated? Parents should not be left in limbo and expected to simply manage the consequences themselves. If a child were absent from education for weeks without proper explanation or arrangement, questions would be rightly asked. It is then equally reasonable for parents to ask who is accountable when their child is left without appropriate education provision because of a failure in planning or communication.

Will the Minister of State urgently provide a clear response to these families and a firm timeline for the opening of the school? These 18 children have waited long enough. They deserve their education, their routine, their friendships and the specialist support they need.

I thank the Deputy for bringing forward this very important Topical Issue today on behalf of the parents and children involved.

This Government is committed to the provision of additional special places for children with special educational needs. Budget 2026 has already provided funding for over 400 new special classes and at least 400 new special school places for the 2026-27 school year. It was intended this would create almost 3,000 new special education placements for 2026. This would be in addition to placements created due to the natural movement of students, such as those transitioning from primary to post-primary or those completing school.

In April 2026, the Government agreed to additional funding for the provision of special education services for children across the country. This money will fund special education teachers, SETs, additional SNAs, increased capitation, access to school transport for children in special education settings and start-up grants for schools opening new special classes and inclusive special classes. The year 2026 represents the largest ever expansion of specialist education in the history of the State. Through the combined efforts of the Department and the NCSE, 587 new special classes have been sanctioned for the 2026-27 school year, including 70 inclusive special classes. This represents an increase of over 40% in the number of special classes being provided in 2026.

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. In total, over 4,300 special classes will be operating in mainstream schools next year, an increase of 130% since 2020. In County Dublin, 845 special classes are now in operation providing capacity for 5,070 students. This includes 140 new special classes for the 2026-27 school year. In April 2026, the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, announced the establishment of four new special schools, including the Deputy’s school in Balbriggan.

Dedicated working groups including the Department, the NCSE and relevant patron bodies continue to meet to support the establishment of the new special schools, which include a dedicated group for the school in Balbriggan. Offers of places have been made, as the Deputy pointed out, and new principals, teachers and SNAs are being recruited. It is intended that these new schools will open later in term 1 of this school year. The NCSE continues to advise parents at local level on developments. These bring to 20 the number of new special schools established in recent years.

As the Deputy is aware, an earlier notification deadline was introduced this year to support forward planning and to earlier equip the NCSE with local information as to what students would be leaving school, transitioning to post-primary specialist places or those seeking specialist placement or entering the education system for the first time. This information is critical when examining where provision needs to be placed to meet demand. The attentions of the NCSE and the Department have now turned to the 2027-28 school year and forward planning is already under way. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, continues to meet the NCSE and senior Department officials each week to monitor the progress being made in providing planning for the 2027-28 school year.

I want to speak to the parents now. We have seen a 130% increase in school places since 2020, but that does not sit well for a parent or child who does not have a school place. I want to let them know the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is doing everything he can to work with the Department and the NCSE to ensure no child is left without a school place. I acknowledge the angst those parents and children are going through in having their education disrupted like this, but I will make sure I speak directly to the Minister of State on this matter. I again thank the Deputy for raising it today.

I thank the Minister of State. Unlike some others here, I acknowledge more funding has been put into special schools and education this year. Budget 2026 has expanded service provision within the sector. However, I also know we are coming from such a low baseline that we have a lot to make up for. I know Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is doing his best - I have no argument there - but we saw the documentary this week with Alison Field having to go through 19 different special schools to find a place for her son. Some funding has been used to educate students in cupboards so funding must be used for quality education, which I am sure the Minister of State is doing his best to do, rather than piecemeal to give ourselves a pat on the back.

I previously suggested to the Minister of State that we could use the AIM model for children with additional needs transferring from early years into primary school, so we know the numbers we are dealing with. That should be seriously looked at, with this school in particular. I know from having been a councillor that expectations need to be managed so that scenarios that have played out with the announcement of this school and the miscommunications do not repeat themselves. The old adage, "If you cannot be best, be first", cannot be used, particularly when dealing with vulnerable students.

I thank the Deputy again. I outlined all the work the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is doing. It is important to remember the vast majority of students with a special educational need are supported to attend a school, most of them in mainstream with a cohort attending special schools.

I once again acknowledge the parents. It is very important we bring issues like this to the House. I will make sure the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is aware of this school and that the NCSE reaches out to those parents again. I think the Deputy's main message today was the miscommunication from the Department and that has to be addressed. I will make sure I bring that back to the Minister of State.