Eamon Scanlon TD asked the Minister for Education: Special Educational Needs

Eamon Scanlon TD of County Leitrim asked the Minister for Education and Youth in the Dáil on 10 June 2026 when a decision would be issued regarding an SNA appeal for a school, with details supplied by the TD. He also requested that the Minister confirm whether she would make a statement on the matter.

The question comes amid a wave of new special‑education provisions across Leitrim. Two additional special classes have been approved for primary schools in Ballinamore and Mohill, bringing the total sanctioned in the county to eight. Scoil Mhuire in Carrick‑on‑Shannon has received approval to establish a new autism spectrum disorder (ASD) class as part of a broader expansion that will see 32 special classes established nationally. Lough Allen College in Drumkeerin has also been granted a second ASD class, expanding its capacity for students with autism and providing families with a local option rather than requiring travel further afield.

These developments reflect the county’s growing demand for specialist educational support and the schools’ ability to deliver quality services to young people with additional needs. The TD’s question highlights the need for clarity on the status of individual appeals within this broader rollout, ensuring that affected families receive timely information about decisions that impact their children’s education.

Scanlon also appeared on the Friday Panel on Ocean FM, live from Ballymote, where he discussed local educational matters with fellow panelists. The discussion was part of a wider conversation about inclusive schooling in the region.

For full details, see the Oireachtas record and Leitrim Observer reports.

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