From:Department of Education and Youth

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion Michael Moynihan TD have today (7 July) announced the opening of NCSE Parents Notify online portal for 2027/2028 to support early planning for special education places.

The key dates for parents and guardians of children and young people seeking a special class or special school place for the 2027/2028 school year to be aware of are:

Parents Notify has become a vital national planning tool, giving early visibility of the level of need for specialist placements. The process provides a clear overview on the potential need for specialist placements and supports forward planning by both the NCSE and the Department of Education and Youth.

To date, Parents Notify has enabled the government’s delivery of 580 new special classes, the establishment of four new special schools for the coming 2026/27 school year and the expansion of capacity in a number of existing special schools.

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton said:

“The NCSE parents portal notify has been a really important initiative to help my Department and the NCSE to plan effectively for supporting children with special educational needs in our schools. I want to ensure that we get a clear picture of type of provision required by children and young people for September 2027.

“I want to give a clear message to parents that the most important thing they can do if they feel their child needs a specialist placement is to contact the NCSE by 1 September and then documentation can follow. There is no need to contact schools at this point but if parents have any queries at any stage they can contact their local SENO. While I fully appreciate that 1 September is earlier than last year, this timeline is necessary to give me the opportunity to feed into the budgetary process to meet the needs of the most vulnerable children in our society.

“I also want to reassure families that we will continue to support them throughout this process and beyond. I am committed to meeting the needs of children on their educational journey and ensuring that we have the right provision in the right places is a key part of making this happen. “

Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Michael Moynihan TD said:

“Forward planning is central to ensuring children and young people with additional needs can access their education in a setting that suits them. It provides reassurance to families about their child’s school placement, while also giving schools the time needed to plan effectively for new classes, including accommodation and staffing.

"Last year, we brought forward the Parents Notify timeline by four months, which meant that new special classes could be sanctioned significantly earlier. We are keen to build on that progress. That is why it is so important that families notify the NCSE through the online portal as early as possible and submit the required documentation as soon as it becomes available.

“It’s important to note that while many of the recently sanctioned special classes have been designated for children with autism, reflecting the information provided through the NCSE’s portal, this process applies to all families seeking a special class or special school placement regardless of disability. Without parents notifying the NCSE, it can be difficult to ensure the locations for new special classes align with demand notified by families.

"There has been very significant investment in special education provision in recent years. Across the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 school years alone, almost 1,000 new special classes and nine new special schools have been sanctioned. At the same time, the majority of children with additional needs continue to be supported in mainstream settings. We are committed to continuing this investment and expanding provision so that every child and young person who needs additional support can access an appropriate education in their local community.”

Ireland continues to see rapid growth in demand for special education placements. Over 34,000 students will be enrolled in special classes and special schools this coming school year, which is an increase of 86% since 2020. Early notification is essential to ensure sufficient places, staffing, and accommodation can be planned for the year ahead.

The NCSE will run a national information campaign and provide support through its network of 120 Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs). Schools are required to advise parents to notify the NCSE and must comply with admissions policy requirements to ensure all available places are accessible.

Parents can access the portal and further guidance on the NCSE website.

Information on mainstream schools with special classes, including new special classes for the upcoming 2026/27 school year, as well as the types and locations of these classes, is published on the NCSE website and is available atwww.ncse.ie. The NCSE will continue to update the list as classes are sanctioned ahead of the 2026/27 school year.

Supporting Rapidly Growing Special Education Needs

To meet the growing demand for special education placements, the Department and the NCSE have accelerated the expansion of specialist provision. The Parents Notify process has been central to this progress, providing robust, clear evidence of the level of need which assisted the NCSE in approaching local schools to open new special classes. This evidence base was central to delivering 580 new special classes and establishing 4 new special schools for the 2026/27 school year.

Parents/Guardians should access the Parents Notify online formhttps://ncse.ie/notify-ncse-special-class-special-school.

The NCSE eligibility letter confirming diagnosis and recommendation is required for enrolment in all special classes and special schools for 2027/28.

The NCSE will prioritise children at key transition points and will work with schools and families to determine whether needs can be met within existing school resources where a child is already enrolled.

Parents can access the portal at the NCSE website and may seek support from their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO).

Improved Planning, Transparency, and Reduced Pressure on Families

Since its introduction, Parents Notify has significantly improved the planning landscape for special education. The process:

Strengthened Communications and Compliance Measures

The NCSE will run a national information campaign to ensure parents are aware of deadlines and requirements. Schools are required to advise parents to notify the NCSE and must comply with admissions policy expectations, including removing barriers to accessing special classes and ensuring all available places are filled.

The Department is writing directly to boards of management of schools identified as having non‑compliant admissions policies.