284. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the consequences for children who cannot secure an appropriate special education place for September 2027. [75313/26]

Enabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs is a priority for this Government.?It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.

This Government has prioritised ensuring that schools have the necessary resources to support children with special educational needs in the setting that best meets their needs. Since 2020, over 2,400 new special classes have been provided and there are now more than 4,300 special classes available in our primary and post-primary schools. Since 2020, 20 new special schools have been opened.

Budget 2027 will increase our special education teachers by 1,353 and 2,339 special needs assistants (SNAs) will be funded to support children across mainstream and specialist settings. This brings the total number of SNAs to over 28,000 by the end of 2027, which is the highest ever number of SNAs allocated to our education system. This is in recognition of the growing needs of children across all settings. In total, there will be 52,000 dedicated staff to support children with special educational needs in our schools.

In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0063/2026. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE through the Parent Notify process that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child. This notification process will provide the NCSE with critical information on children who continue to need a special class as they progress to post-primary level as well as details on students who require a place for the first time.

The Parents Notify process provides the NCSE and the department with the information for the potential need for specialist placements to forward plan in conjunction with schools for special education provision.

This year to facilitate earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2027/28 school year, an earlier date of 1 September was set for parents with necessary documentation to be provided by 15 September 2026 or as soon as is reasonably practicable thereafter. The NCSE will continue to engage with parents/guardians and schools on this, to ensure all of the relevant information is provided as quickly as possible to facilitate comprehensive forward planning.

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.