The Department of Education has sanctioned another special class for county Laois to open in this September.

A Department spokesperson has confirmed with the Leinster Express / Laois Live that Killeshin NS (Scoil Chomhgháin Naofa) will open two new special classes this autumn, bringing the total of new ASD classes opening in Laois to ten. 

Five of the schools announced are in the Portlaoise area, with two being secondary schools. 

Laois principals have criticised the Department's announcement, as physical classrooms are not included in this announcement.

Many schools are currently scrambling to source space to house the classes. Here is a breakdown of the schools sanctioned for a new special class this coming school year;

Welcoming the earlier announcement of nine new special classes for Laois in March, Fianna Fáil Sean Fleming TD acknowledged that accommodating the classes could be an issue.

"The staffing and school places have been approved, the next step will be the accommodation. I will be upfront on this; this will be easier on some schools to manage than others," he said.

"Some locations are seeing surges in population. Some schools will double up with extra facilities, while some schools will convert a classroom for these special classes. Other schools may have to resort to temporary accommodation such as prefabs.

"It will be hard work at short notice, and there will be a mix of accommodation types for these classes, but children come first. You cannot leave a child without a proper education, no child can be refused a place in school. The constitution says that all children should be treated equally," Dep Fleming said.

Pictured: six of the schools in Laois that will open new autism classes this September

Of the schools that will open these new classrooms, six principals spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live of their concerns.

Killeshin NS welcome this news, and are currently working to put a contingency plan in place due to the lack of accommodation for students. 

“We don’t believe in putting students into the PE hall and using that as a makeshift classroom, all children are entitled to a proper education,” Principal Nicola McGuill said.

“The whole school community is delighted and embracing this, but we don’t have a building to put students in,” she said.

“We are implementing a contingency plan and are working to source suitable accommodation for students.” 

The Rock NS will have to find space in their playground for a modular classroom, which will house six special needs pupils, a teacher and two Special Needs Assistants.

Pictured: The Rock NS

“The challenge is having the new building in place for late August. We are due back in September and we need to have it kitted out with equipment.

“I have contacted the department’s building unit and they are being very helpful, so that part is up and running. Please God we will be open in time,” he said.

Principal Bridie Dunne of Castlecuffe NS is happy to open the school's first special class, and the school is working hard to accommodate students for September. 

"Ideally, we would love to have extra space, we don't currently have facilities like a general purpose area in the school," Ms Dunne said.

"It is a challenge to have everything in place for September, it's late enough to be receiving the news. But we hope to be ready in September to fill this class," she said.