Special schools in Ireland
Special schools are for children with more complex needs, with smaller classes and more staff. To apply, you first get a letter of eligibility from the NCSE through its Parents Notify form, then apply to the school.
- 150 schools
- 10,085 pupils
- 25 counties
How a special class or special school place works
By county
- Carlow2 schools
- Cavan1 school
- Clare2 schools
- Cork19 schools
- Donegal2 schools
- Dublin55 schools
- Galway8 schools
- Kerry3 schools
- Kildare6 schools
- Kilkenny5 schools
- Laois2 schools
- Limerick9 schools
- Longford1 school
- Louth4 schools
- Mayo4 schools
- Meath3 schools
- Monaghan1 school
- Offaly1 school
- Roscommon1 school
- Sligo2 schools
- Tipperary5 schools
- Waterford3 schools
- Westmeath4 schools
- Wexford3 schools
- Wicklow4 schools
The largest
- Catherine Mc Auley Sp S Limerick, Co. Limerick 278 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- Cormaic Special School Cashel, Co. Tipperary 211 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- St Itas Special School Drogheda, Co. Louth 207 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- Holy Family S S Cootehill, Co. Cavan 182 pupilsMixedMulti-denominationalSpecial
- St Patricks Special School Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford 166 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- St Michaels Special School Dublin 20, Co. Dublin 163 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- St Augustines School Blackrock, Co. Dublin 157 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- Scoil Aonghusa Cashel, Co. Tipperary 151 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- St Laserians Special Sc Carlow, Co. Carlow 146 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- Little Angels Special School Letterkenny, Co. Donegal 145 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
- Stewarts School Lucan, Co. Dublin 145 pupilsMixedMulti-denominationalSpecial
- St Annes S S Ennis, Co. Clare 142 pupilsMixedCatholicSpecial
Quick answers
- How many special schools are there in Ireland?
- There are 150 special schools in Ireland, with 10,085 pupils between them, according to the Department of Education's latest figures.
- Which county has the most special schools?
- Co. Dublin, with 55 schools.
- What is the biggest of them?
- Catherine Mc Auley Sp S in Co. Limerick, with 278 pupils.
Other lists: Gaelscoileanna · Multi-denominational schools · DEIS schools · Gaeltacht schools · Girls' schools · Boys' schools