Several schools in Carlow and Kilkenny will benefit from new special classes starting in the 2025/2026 school year, thanks to a nationwide investment backed by Budget 2025.
The initiative will provide up to 300 special school places and 400 special classes across the country, helping over 2,700 students with special educational needs.
In the Carlow-Kilkenny region, schools including Newtown, Dunleckney, and Myshall National Schools in Carlow, as well as Scoil Bhride (Paulstown), Glenmore, Listerlin, Scoil Mhuire (Mooncoin), Carrigeen NS, and Gaelscoil Osrai in Kilkenny, will receive resources to support up to 60 students.
TD for Carlow-Kilkenny, Peter Chap Cleere, welcomed the news, calling it “fantastic” for local schools and students. Speaking to KCLR’s Martin Quilty, he emphasised the importance of this investment in creating more inclusive educational opportunities for children with special needs in the region.
The funding aims to ensure that every student, regardless of their needs, has access to the support and resources required to thrive in an inclusive school environment.