From:Department of Education and Youth

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton and Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Michael Moynihan have secured Government approval to establish a new Forum on Inclusive Education for Students with Special Educational Needs, which will begin its work in September 2026.

The Forum will bring together key stakeholders to develop a shared national vision for inclusive education and identify practical actions to support children and young people with special educational needs across the education system.

The initiative forms part of Ireland's ongoing commitment to progressing inclusive education in line with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and builds on policy advice from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which advocates for a system where children and young people are supported to attend schools in their locality to the greatest extent possible.

"I am very pleased to announce the establishment of the Forum on Inclusive Education for children and young people with special educational needs.  This is a really important piece of work which will provide a national platform for dialogue and facilitate collaboration and consensus building among all who have an interest in education including disabled persons' organisations, advocacy groups, education stakeholders, Government departments and independent experts.

“I am particularly pleased to announce the appointment of Professor Noel Purdy, Director of Research and Scholarship at Stranmillis University College, as chair for the Forum.  Our system has benefited significantly from Professor Purdy’s experience and expertise in the recent past in guiding development work on our Cineáltas programme and I know that he will bring the same level of focus to his work on the Forum."

Minister of State Moynihan said:

"Having an inclusive education system is so important for children and young people but also for schools themselves. A lot of schools are already well advanced in how they embed inclusive practices but we know there is more that we can do to progress inclusion in schools. One of the key tasks for the Forum will be to address how we can continue to strengthen inclusion across the education system while maintaining a continuum of supports for students with special educational needs.

"I’m conscious that sometimes there can be a fear that inclusive education means less of a focus on special schools. That’s why I want to be clear that our special schools have played and will continue to play an important role in our system. I would hope the Forum will pinpoint actions we can pursue that will further strengthen our special schools across the country.

"I also welcome the breadth of the intended membership of the Forum, bringing together representatives whose experiences of education today can shape our system into the future. I look forward to engaging with the Forum on a regular basis as it meets."

There have been substantial investments in special education in recent years, with the majority of students with special educational needs supported in mainstream schools, alongside special classes and special schools for students with more complex needs. The Forum will help shape the next phase of policy development to ensure every learner has the opportunity to participate fully in education and in their local community.

The Forum will examine a range of priority areas that can support a more inclusive school system, including:

Delivering Practical Recommendations

The Forum will operate for approximately six months and will produce a report setting out:

The Forum will report jointly to the Minister for Education and Youth and the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, with secretariat support provided by the Department of Education's Special Education Section.