New Cork special education school gets green light

A long-sought special education school for Cork has received the go-ahead, but while a former school in Carrignavar is refurbished, the school will be housed in spare rooms at Gaelscoil de hÍde in Fermoy, a spokesperson for the Department of Education has confirmed.

According to a department spokesperson, responding to a query from The Echo, it is envisaged that 24 students will be accommodated in spare classrooms at the Gaelscoil in Fermoy.

It is understood that other students will be accommodated in special education schools in East Cork and Rochestown.

“Cork ETB have commenced the recruitment process for the school principal,” said the department spokesperson.

Target

In the statement from the department, it was confirmed that a contractor was in place “to facilitate the commencement of works”.

“The target is to have these works done as early as possible in the 2025/26 school year,” the spokesperson said.

“Separately, arrangements are being put in place to significantly increase capacity at other existing special schools to cater for place requirements for the 2025/26 school year.

“This is in tandem with significant expansion of special class places in primary and post-primary schools.”

According to the department’s statement, the latest provision means the number of special classes in mainstream schools in Co Cork has almost doubled in just five years, and will provide special class capacity for more than 3,700 children and young people for the coming school year.

“A total of 51 special classes have been sanctioned across Cork — 11 of which were sanctioned this week, supporting primary and post-primary-aged children,” said the spokesperson.

“These 51 new special classes will bring the total number of special classes in mainstream schools in Co Cork to 614 for the 2025/26 school year — 28 at primary level and 186 at post-primary level.”

Hope

The announcement has been welcomed by Cork North Central TD and Fianna Fáil spokesperson on special education, Pádraig O’Sullivan.

“While remediation and refurbishment works are done on site, 24 students will be temporarily located in Gaelscoil de hÍde Fermoy,” he said.

“While this is not ideal, I hope it can be done as expeditiously as other projects, with a view to having a larger number of children attending the new special school in Carrignavar as soon as possible.”