The news has been confirmed this evening.
It's been confirmed a new additional needs class is being opened in Athlone Community College.
The class - which will cater for six students - will be opened in time for the new school term in September.
It follows months of campaigning by local parents and politicians to provide an adequate number of school places for autistic children.
A number of sixth class pupils who just left primary schools in the area have no secondary school place for September, despite receiving assurances from Special Education Minister Josepha Madigan that every child will be catered for.
A new class is also being opened at Ballymahon Vocational School in Co. Longford.
Fine Gael senator Micheál Carrigy says it's very welcome news, but more needs to be done to ensure every child is catered for:
Ticket Prices Set To Rise For National Ploughing Championships
Taoiseach Warns Of Threats To Energy And Communication Cables
Irish Farmers To Join EU-Wide Protest In Brussels
Four Men Released Without Charge After Midlands Prison Assault Arrests
Community Mourns Mary Holt As Colleagues Lead Funeral Procession In Edenderry
Calls Grow For 24 Hour Garda Station In Edenderry After Arson Attack
Appeal Date Set For Jozef Puska Over Murder Of Ashling Murphy
Offaly Town Demands Meeting With Garda Commissioner And Justice Minister
Ireland’s First Kidney Pancreas Transplant Recipient Dies Aged 68
Quality Of Life To Drive Offaly’s Appeal For Foreign Investment - Anna Marie Delaney
Hundreds Of Mourners Gather For Tadgh Farrell's Funeral
Dancing With The Stars ‘A Once In A Lifetime Opportunity’ - Rose Of Tralee
Uisce Éireann To Submit €6b Water Project Plan
Pedestrian Killed In Midlands Crash
Maura Higgins Set For Traitors US
Man Taken To Hospital Following Alleged Westmeath Assault
Osteoarthritis Programme Launched At Midlands Hospital
Laois County Fire And Rescue Service Welcomes Two New Fire Appliances
Offaly TD Welcomes New IDA Ireland Investment