Special Class Provision – update March 2026
Down Syndrome Ireland continues to hear from families across the country who are struggling to secure appropriate school placements for their children due to the ongoing imbalance in the types of special classes being established within the education system.
Updated figures from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for the 2026–2027 school year highlight once again the extent of this imbalance. Of the 88 additional special classes sanctioned on 2 March 2026, 87 have been allocated to autism or ASD, while just one class has been designated as a Mild General Learning Disability class. This pattern reflects a continued concentration of provision in one category of support, despite the fact that students across the country present with a wide range of learning needs that require different educational approaches.
While many students with Down syndrome are successfully supported in mainstream classrooms, there are also children who benefit significantly from access to a special class within a mainstream school environment. This model allows students to participate in the life of the school alongside their peers, while also receiving targeted teaching and additional support for particular subjects or areas of learning.
However, for many families the only special class option available locally is an autism class. In most cases, children with Down syndrome cannot access these classes unless they have a dual diagnosis of autism. Even where this is the case, autism-specific classes are not necessarily the most appropriate setting for students with Down syndrome whose learning profiles, communication needs and developmental pathways are different.
Students with Down syndrome require access to a broader range of special class settings in order to support their educational development and participation in school life. These include:
• Mild General Learning Disability classes
• Moderate General Learning Disability classes
• Severe and Profound General Learning Disability classes
• Specific Speech and Language Disorder classes
• Multiple Disabilities classes
The current pattern of provision means that, in many parts of the country, these options simply do not exist. As a result, families are often left facing limited choices, long journeys to school, or placements that do not adequately meet their child’s needs.
Down Syndrome Ireland believes that the planning of special education provision must reflect the full diversity of learning needs across the student population. A more balanced and needs-led approach to the establishment of special classes is urgently required to ensure that children with Down syndrome, and other students with general learning disabilities, have equitable access to appropriate educational settings.
Down Syndrome Ireland will be raising this issue directly with the Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education and will be seeking a clear plan for how a more balanced mix of special class provision will be delivered nationally. We will also be working with our members across the country to gather evidence of unmet need and will support families in highlighting these gaps to local public representatives and education stakeholders.
Children with Down syndrome deserve access to the right supports, in the right setting, at the right time. Ensuring that the education system provides an appropriate range of special class options is essential to making that a reality for families across Ireland.
Read the report in full prepared by Dr Fidelma Brady, Head of Education at Down Syndrome Ireland