Feb 13, 2025, Irish Independent: ‘Intention’ for all children with additional needs to have school place in September – Helen McEntee
Newly-appointed education minister Helen McEntee has said it is her “intention” that all children with additional needs will have a school place this September.
Last year the government came in for significant criticism as parents spoke out about their struggle to find a school place for their children with special educational needs (SEN).
Minister McEntee, who took up the education portfolio two weeks ago, said she aimed to expand special education, increasing special schools and investing in special classes.
This also included a focus on providing a school place for all children with SEN.
“It is my intention that every single child will have a place come September, every child needing special education that they will have a place come September,” Minister McEntee said. . . .
“We've given a very clear commitment again this year, that there will be 400 new classes opened. We are working towards that target, and that will ensure that every single child who needs a place will get one,” Minister McEntee said.
Last September, the Children's Ombudsman estimated that approximately 126 children with SEN were without a school place at the start of the academic year.
Both Minister McEntee and Minister Moynihan said that all children have been offered a school place for this year.
“It's been made very clear that all children have been offered places in this school year, and our focus now is to make sure that there are places available for every child come this September,” Minister McEntee said.
There were also be a focus on introducing a common application system, the education minister said, something which when introduced will be “transformational” for parents.
“I think also what's really important is that we ensure there is a single application system. This is one of the most challenging things for parents to have to apply for potentially 20 or 30 schools and get in as many rejection letters. It's stressful. It shouldn't be happening,” Ms McEntee said.
The minister said her department is working closely with the NCSE to introduce the system.
“I believe that a common application system could be a game changer for parents, but most importantly, it would put the structure in place to ensure that in the same way that every other child knows at the beginning of the year where they're going to school, that if a child is going to a special school or needing a special class, that they will know at that earliest stage possible,” the minister said.
However Ms McEntee did not provide a timeline for the introduction of this system.
"We obviously have a pilot project in Dublin 15 that is working very well, and we need to expand on that. But work is well underway, and the intention is as soon as possible, all special schools would have access to this common application system,” Ms McEntee said.
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