Eighteen new special classes for Limerick schools

This is part of a national announcement of almost 400 special classes

EACH one of the eighteen special classes for Limerick will have six pupils, one teacher and one special needs assistant.

Nationally, more than 375 new classes will be coming on stream in September for around 2,300 children with additional educational needs.

Minister Niall Collins said: “I want to thank all our local schools who are working so hard to make this happen in conjunction with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education. This is a sign of this government’s commitment to delivering an inclusive education for all our children.”

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD said: “The new special needs classes coming on stream will bring the overall number of special classes in our education system to more than 3,000 nationwide. This will provide places for over 20,000 students. I want to thank all those involved in delivering the new special classes, including the schools, the staff and the building firms.

“We now have more than 40,000 professionals working in special education – over 21,000 special needs assistants and over 19,000 special education teachers. That is the highest number of SNAs and teachers ever working in the area of special education. We have also delivered 11 new special schools during our term in government so far.”

The number of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) who help parents to find school places and health services for their children has increased from 73 to 120.

Minister Foley said: “I know that there are still challenges delivering school places for children with additional educational needs in their nearest school. It is my absolute aspiration that it will, in time, come to a point where every child with additional educational needs will be able to attend their local school and that there will be no distance for them to travel. We are making progress in that respect, but there is more to be done.”

The schools getting the classrooms in Limerick are as follows;

St Senan’s National School, Foynes

St John’s Convent, Cathedral Place

Bohermore NS, Ballysimon

Cappagh NS

St Joseph’s Convent Primary, Knockane Road, Newcastle West

Doon Convent NS

Scoil Na Mbearnan, Pallasgreen

St John the Baptist Boys NS, Pennywell

Athlacca NS

Knockainey NS

Tobar Phadraig,