Press release
Ministers Foley and Naughton update on the five new special schools for 2025/26 school year
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Minister for Education Norma Foley and Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Hildegarde Naughton have today (Tuesday, 10 December) confirmed the location of the five new special schools to be established for the 2025/26 school year.
This follows their announcement on 18 October 2024 of the establishment of five new special schools in four different counties for the 2025/26 school year to cater for the increasing number of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN).
The location for the new special school in Co. Cork will be in the North City area of Cork City. For the 2 new special schools in Co. Dublin, one will be located in the Lucan area and one in North Dublin. The location for the new special school in Co. Monaghan will be in Castleblaney. The location for the new special school in Tipperary will be in Nenagh.
The schools will cater for children and young people with complex special education needs up to 18 years of age. Today’s update on their locations is an important milestone because it allows more time for the planning of school admissions, recruitment of staff, staff training and undertaking necessary building works. This advanced forward planning for the next school year 2025/2026 will ensure that appropriate placements are available to meet the needs of students with special educational needs.
It is envisaged that the five special schools will operate under the patronage of the local Education and Training Boards (ETBs); Cork ETB, Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB, Cavan and Monaghan ETB, and Tipperary ETB.
The schools will be established by repurposing existing buildings. This use of the existing school building stock is key to the accelerated delivery of the five new special schools by next September.
Further details on the precise locations and arrangements for the establishment of the individual schools are being finalised with relevant stakeholders.
Minister Foley said:
“As Minister for Education I am committed to having an education system that works for all young people. I am delighted to confirm the locations of the five new special schools in counties Cork, Dublin, Monaghan and Tipperary. This is a further sign of this government’s commitment to delivering an education system that is inclusive, open and welcoming to everyone.
"I know there has been a strong demand in Monaghan in particular for the county's first special school. I have met with parents and groups in Monaghan on a number of occasions and given them a commitment that this would be resolved before the end of the year. I am delighted that the location for the new special school in the county has now been confirmed.
“Our school communities have demonstrated a real commitment to inclusion. I would like to thank those involved in supporting the continued establishment of special classes and special schools. A particular word of thanks to the local Education and Training Boards who will be the patrons of these new special schools. We are continuing to expand special education, with more than 3,300 special classes in operation. Around €2.9 billion will be made available in Budget 2025 to provide supports for children with special educational needs.”
Minister Naughton said:
“As Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion, I am pleased to confirm the locations for our five new special schools.
“This marks an important milestone for children with special educational needs and their families in these communities. At the heart of this effort is the goal of creating brighter opportunities for children of all abilities, ensuring they have access to the tailored education they deserve. From my engagements with parents, teachers and the wider school community I know that this will bring much-needed clarity and reassurance to families as they plan for the upcoming school year.
“Our education system must prioritise the unique needs of every child, and special schools remain a vital cornerstone of this commitment. Every child deserves an environment where they can learn, thrive, and feel supported in their educational journey.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the ETBs and schools who have partnered with us to bring these new special schools to fruition. This is a meaningful step forward in addressing the needs of these areas and, most importantly, the children and families who will benefit from this dedicated support.”
Planning for the opening of the new special schools is underway. This includes a determination of the size of the school required so that the necessary staff recruitment, school policy development and related arrangements can be put in train. Details in relation to the precise location of the new special schools, the admission process and the number of places to be offered for 2025/26 school year in each new special school will be confirmed shortly.
The NCSE will work closely with the families of the children and young people concerned to assist them in accessing the new places which will become available for the 2025/26 school year.