New special education classes announced for Cork schools 

Sixteen new special classes will be introduced across Cork for the 2025/2026 school year, it has been confirmed.

Eighty-two new classes nationally have been announced for the coming school year, on top of the 218 already announced, 22 of which are in Cork.

In the current school year, there are 563 special classes in Cork, 395 at primary level and 168 at post-primary, meaning the total classes next year will be 601.

Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O’Sullivan welcomed the announcement of the 16 new classes, however, he said there is still an unmet demand for secondary school places.

“I welcome this announcement of future class provision, but I’m acutely aware that we need more classes,” he said.

“I’m also conscious that most of the classes allocated have been at primary level, but there’s a clear and obvious demand that’s not being met at secondary level. I think the focus for the future needs to shift.”

Mr O’Sullivan said he would “continue to collaborate with local schools, families, the NCSE [National Council for Special Education] and the department to advocate for increased investment in special education across Cork and beyond.”

The 16 classes announced include 11 primary classes in Ovens NS, Ballincollig; Gaelscoil Mhuscraí, Blarney; St Mary’s National School, Cobh; Grange Fermoy NS, Fermoy; Ballinspittle NS in Kinsale, SN Cnoc na Croighe in Rathmore; and SN Inis in Youghal.

Gaelscoil Peig Sayers and Scoil Mhuire Fatima Boys Senior, both in Gurranabraher, as well as Killavullen NS and Glantane BNS, both in Mallow, make up the remainder of the list.

Mallow is also set to get a post-primary class in Davis College, with other post-primary classes to open in Millstreet Community School, St Patrick’s College in Montenotte, and Cólaiste an Phiarsaigh in Riverstown, Glanmire.