One In 20 Pupils Diagnosed With Autism, 400 Special Classes Needed Each Year To Cope With Demand

Tuesday, 11 March 2025 14:47

By Martin Osborne

That's a three-fold increase in under a decade, according to figures from the Department of Education.

Around one in 20 schoolchildren are being diagnosed with autism.

That's a three-fold increase in under a decade, according to figures from the Department of Education.

It means around 400 new special classes would be needed every year for the next three years to keep up with demand.

Kfm recently highlighted the struggles of local parents trying to secure a school place for their children diagnosed with autism.

One mother had to apply to seven schools in North Kildare and two schools outside the county.

An additional 292 special classes have been sanctioned for the coming school year 2025/2026 across the country, including four in Kildare.

This includes a further five SEN classes that were announced for the county last week bringing to fourteen the total number of additional special education needs classes in Kildare North.

You can read more on that here.

Education Editor with the Irish Times, Karl O'Brien says the rise is down to greater awareness about autism.

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