Written Answers Nos. 414-428
414. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education for the number of National Educational Psychological Service assessments being made available for schools in Dublin South Central; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14127/25]
View answerThe National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides psychological support to all primary, post-primary, and special schools. The service is divided into six geographical regions and Dublin South Central is part of Region 3. There are currently 235 whole time equivalent psychologists providing a service across the country. 43 psychologists are currently employed in Region 3.
NEPS provides access for all schools to:
• Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident.
• A casework service for individual students where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
• A school staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools.
• Ongoing access to advice and support for schools.
NEPS psychologists work with schools using a problem-solving model to help schools identify need and implement interventions to support those needs. As part of this model, NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum-based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and intervention support for children and young people with wellbeing, learning and/or social-emotional needs. This model means that children and young people do not need to have a psychological assessment or a diagnosis of a disability in order to access additional support in school. The psychologists may work directly with the child/young person, known as Direct Casework and this includes assessment, or the psychologist may work through teachers or teachers/parents to provide a psychological service for a child/young person, to be known as Indirect Casework.
415. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education to provide details of plans to build primary and secondary schools in an area (details supplied). [14128/25]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may, be provided through: • Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
The department has engaged with Dublin City Council in regards to the Jamestown Masterplan. The Jamestown Industrial Estate Lands close to the Meakstown area were identified in the Dublin City County Development Plan as having significant potential for re-generation. The Jamestown land bank has the potential to deliver a significant number of residential units (3,500+). A site has been zoned within the Jamestown lands for a future primary school should the projected population materialise as a result of the development of the potential residential units within this land bank.
The department will continue to engage with the council regarding this area and in respect of their county development plan and any associated local area plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.
416. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education the current subvention paid to schools for transition year, per student; whether there is a cap on such subventions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14149/25]
View answer417. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education the deadline for schools to provide final numbers for transition year each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14150/25]
View answer418. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education if a school has reached its quota for transition year places and has to create a lottery, whether the school can apply for supplemental supports from the Department in the event it decides in the best interests of students to facilitate additional numbers. [14151/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 416 to 418, inclusive, together.
The Transition Year Grant is paid to non-fee charging voluntary secondary schools, community and comprehensive schools and schools in the ETB sector in addition to capitation payments. The Transition Year Grant is paid on a per capita basis – therefore it increases or decreases in line with the number of actual participants in a given year when compared with other years.
It is a matter for a school to determine the number of places it makes available in Transition Year in a given year and no quota is imposed on a school in that regard, nor is there a cap on the total subvention available to schools under the Transition Year Grant.
The amount paid to schools under the Transition Year Grant is based on the returns made by Post Primary Schools for students that are present and attending their school on 30 September each year, which includes all Programmes and Programme Years.
Since its introduction, the popularity and uptake of Transition Year has increased significantly to the point where it is now offered in almost every post-primary school. The number of students participating in Transition Year has also grown in recent years, with the latest figures showing that over 60,000 students are currently in Transition Year, equivalent to just over 80% of the number of third year students in the previous school year.
As a result of this increase in participation in Transition Year, the amount of TY grant funding provided by my Department has risen from approximately €3.1 million in 2014 to €5.1 million in the 2023/24 school year.
Transition Year is also supported through the payment of teachers’ salaries and the provision of capital funding to schools. The number of students in Transition Year is taken into account when the teaching allocation available to a school is determined, in line with the relevant circulars including Circulars 0008/2024, 0009/2024 and 0010/2024.
The rate for the Transition Year Grant in the 2023/2024 school year was €95 per student. As part of the capitation package in Budget 2024, an additional €21 million was secured as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This supports a permanent restoration of funding for post-primary schools from the 2024/25 school year. This brings the rate of the Transition Year Grant to the pre-2011 level of €100 per student in post-primary schools.
Timetabling for the academic year is arranged by the school and unfortunately this may not always be able to accommodate every student’s subject or programme choice.
In cases where restrictions apply, schools should have clear procedures regarding admission to the programme or subject which indicate how places are allocated to students if there is over or under subscription for a particular subject or programme.
As part of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme, I am committed to expanding access to Transition Year and to supporting schools in giving every student the option of participating in Transition Year in the future. My officials are currently working to identify barriers to participation and understand their causes and this work will inform my approach to making Transition Year accessible to all.
419. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education whether it is possible for parents to be Garda vetted to assist second level schools in providing sufficient ratios of adults to children for school trips, including transition year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14152/25]
View answerUnder the provisions of the Education Act, 1998 the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the principal is responsible for the day-to-day management of a school. The Board has overall responsibility for school policies including any policy in relation to school trips/outings.
Under the Children First Act 2015, all schools in Ireland must have a Child Safeguarding Statement. This document outlines the school's commitment to safeguarding children from harm and details the procedures in place to protect them. As part of the Child Safeguarding Statement, schools must carry out a risk assessment to identify potential risks of harm to children. This assessment focuses on identifying areas where children might be vulnerable to abuse or neglect within the school setting, including outdoor and off-site activities such as school trips.
It is the responsibility of each school authority to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place while children are participating in school trips/outings.
420. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the number of schools referred to the Financial Support Services Unit due to concerns in relation to financial pressures, for each of the past three years, in tabular form, broken down by primary or secondary school, DEIS or non-DEIS, and county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14165/25]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for the employment of relevant secretaries as per Circular 0036/2022.
The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €200 per pupil in primary schools and €345 per student in post-primary schools.
Primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils. At post-primary level, schools with fewer than 200 students receive ancillary-related grants on the basis of having 200 students.
As part of the capitation package in Budget 2025 I am pleased to have secured over €30 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of circa 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of the circa 9.2% increase from last year’s budget. This will bring the standard rate of Capitation grant to the level of €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 per student in post-primary schools from September 2025. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.
In addition to these grants, €45 million in cost-of-living supports issued in November 2024, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. This additional funding announced in Budget 2025 is designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. This funding was paid at a rate of €36 per pupil in primary schools. Enhanced rates were also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils. Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure.
The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), funded by my Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cashflow management. Contact details for FSSU can be found on www.fssu.ie.
Breakdown of schools referred to the FSSU
|
Academic Year: |
Breakdown Schools: |
|
2022/ 2023 |
5 Primary |
|
2023 / 2024 |
48 Primary 15 DEIS1 Post Primary 1 DEIS |
|
2024 / 2025 |
32 Primary includes 11 DEIS & 4 Special Schools2 Post Primary includes 1 DEIS |
The Department of Education is aware that costs and funding can pose a very real problem for schools, and is constantly working to address this matter, and to enhance the financial and other supports available to schools.
While not wishing to pre-empt the outcomes of any future Budget negotiations or fiscal parameters agreed by Government, the Department of Education will continue to seek and prioritise the funding required to meet the ongoing costs of running schools.
421. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education the steps being taken to develop ASD places in pre-school settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14186/25]
View answerThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.
There are a number of supports, provided across a number of departments, for children with special educational needs in a number of crèche/early years settings. The vast majority of children are supported by the Early Childhood Care & Education Scheme (ECCE) and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) under the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. I understand that there has been a very significant increase in the number of children being supported under the AIM programme over recent years.
AIM, introduced in 2016, enables the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities/additional needs in the ECCE programme. Its goal is to create a more inclusive environment in pre-schools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit from quality early learning and care. It is important to note that a diagnosis is not required in order to access AIM supports recognising that many children do not have a diagnosis of a disability/additional need when starting pre-school.
Where it is deemed appropriate, early intervention (EI) classes can be sanctioned by the NCSE in mainstream and special school settings for children aged 3 -5 years old with a diagnosis of autism. There is also a small number of EI classes dedicated to children who are deaf/hard of hearing. These classes are intended to provide early support to children before they start school and can aid their transition to junior infants. There are 155 EI classes in operation nationwide. It is important to note that many students who access EI classes enrol in mainstream classes thereafter.
Of the 400 new special classes places provided for in Budget 2025, the NCSE has advised that 336 of these classes have already been sanctioned, four of these are EI classes. The NCSE continue to sanction classes for the 2025/26 school year. Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.
The Inspectorate’s report: Early Intervention Classes for Children with Autism: Towards a coherent, inclusive system was published on 17 June 2024. Initial meetings have been undertaken to discuss the report’s findings and advances in policy in this area.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
422. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education for a review of the contracts for taxi drivers with Bus Éireann providing transport for children in special education, due to the age limit of 70 years of age restricting the number of drivers who can provide the service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14188/25]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. this figure includes over 143,800 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 21,700 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs. Transport is also provided for children who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine and those residing in IPAS/EROC centres.
The total expenditure on the scheme in 2024 was €512m.
Under the new Programme for Government (PFG), Government has committed to "Carry out an independent assessment on the feasibility of removing the exclusion of drivers aged over 70 from the School Transport Scheme". I will be engaging with the Minister for Transport and with Bus Éireann on this PfG commitment.
423. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 5 February 2025, for an update on the status of an additional needs application from a school (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14189/25]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has approved capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, for the school in question for a traditional building project consisting of 3 Mainstream general classrooms, 1 Music room,1 Science lab & prep area, 1 Graphics room,1 Home economics room, 1 Construction room & prep area, 1 Special education classroom & 1 Universal access toilet. This project has been devolved to the school authorities for delivery and is currently at stage 2b - Detailed design.
I can also confirm that my officials have been in touch with the patron of the school in question in relation to renting toilet facilities for the duration of this approved traditional build. Officials in my Department are working with the patron to resolve the request of the school.
The patron is to seek quotes for these facilities and the matter will then be considered by my Department. My Department will progress this matter as soon as the quotes for the facilities are received.
424. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if consideration will be given to provide mixed gender schools in the Raheny area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14192/25]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may, be provided through: • Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
Since 2011, new arrangements have been in place for the establishment of new schools involving the forecasting of demand for school places based on demographic exercises carried out by the department. The new criterion for new school entities ensures that all new schools are co-educational, but ethos is determined during the patronage process.
There are four primary schools within Raheny. Two of these are co-educational schools.
The decision-making authority for any change of status, including the change to co-educational, is the patron/trustees of the schools concerned and it is open to any patron to submit proposals to the department for consideration.
Any proposed change involves extensive consultation at local level and must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the interests of students, parents, teachers, local communities and contributes to an inclusive education system.
The patron and relevant stakeholders are also advised to consider the implications that any change of status proposal may have on factors such as school accommodation, funding, staffing and school transport so that an informed decision can be made.
The department will continue to liaise with local authorities in respect of their county development plan and any associated local area plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.
425. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education if she will direct the Teaching Council to introduce a primary teaching degree programme in autism, for the purpose or teaching in autism classes (details supplied); if, given the shortage of primary teachers with a special education qualification in Ireland, she will direct the Teaching Council to admit to the register teachers who have obtained an education degree in special and autism education degrees in the UK as children with autism are exempt from Irish so special education teachers should not to be examined in Irish proficiency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14215/25]
View answerThe Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. There are five routes of registration, the minimum registration requirements for each route are set out in the Schedule of the Regulations.
Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State.
It is the Council’s responsibility to ensure that all teachers entering the profession in Ireland have met the required standards. These standards have been established following extensive consultation with relevant stakeholders, research, and in accordance with Department of Education policies and priorities and developed over a number of years.
To address your query in relation to the Irish language requirements, while an Irish exemption may be granted to some learners, in accordance with Department of Education Circulars Circular 0054/2022 (Primary) and Circular 0055/2022 (Post-Primary) such exemptions are in exceptional circumstances as outlined in those circulars. As the first official language in Ireland, and for fundamental cultural and historical reasons which are inextricably linked to Irish identity, the study of the Irish language is a key aspect of the learning experiences that are considered appropriate for students in recognised schools in Ireland. For these reasons, Irish is a core subject in the curriculum determined by the Minister for recognised Irish schools. That is the expectation in all educational settings, including Special Educational Needs (SEN) settings, and schools are expected and encouraged to provide all pupils, to the greatest extent possible and in a meaningful way, with opportunities to participate in Irish language and cultural activities at a level appropriate to their learning needs. In that context, a core principle is that all learners are equally entitled to be taught by teachers who can mediate the curriculum appropriately.
The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 provides that people with special educational needs are educated in an inclusive environment, as far as possible and have the same right to access and benefit from education as children who don’t have these needs.
The Teaching Council has published Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education, which set out the requirements which all programmes of qualification for teaching in Ireland must meet in order to gain accreditation from the Teaching Council. It is also a benchmark for anybody seeking to register as a teacher in Ireland.
Céim includes core elements that ITE programmes must contain, including Inclusive Education: which "includes the fostering of appropriate learning environments, including digital ones, which support the development of student teachers’ ability to provide for the learning needs of all pupils by utilising, for example, a universal design for learning framework." This is intended to provide the foundational competencies teachers will need in order to teach in SEN settings.
There are a number of Graduate and Post-graduate Diplomas in the field of Special Education which are approved by the Department of Education and can be used to add this sector to a teacher’s registration where the teacher also holds an accredited teacher education qualification.
The Teaching Council works within Department policy and central to this policy is that all teachers teaching children with Special Educational Needs should be qualified Primary or Post-Primary teachers in the first instance and may then apply for one of the DE recognised qualifications in Special Educational Needs as outlined in Circular 0044/2019.
426. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education the number of students enrolled in 4th, 5th and 6th class in primary schools in the Wicklow county districts (details provided), in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14226/25]
View answerThe requested data are set out in the table, namely, the number of mainstream pupils in 4th, 5th and 6th classes for the schools located in the Greystones, Kilcoole, Newcastle_Rathcoole & Rathdrum school planning areas.
Academic Year 2023-2024
|
School Planning Area |
Fifth Class |
Fourth Class |
Sixth Class |
Total |
|
Greystones |
437 |
408 |
428 |
1,273 |
|
Kilcoole |
110 |
121 |
135 |
366 |
|
Newcastle_Rathcoole |
421 |
395 |
418 |
1,234 |
|
Rathdrum |
120 |
133 |
101 |
354 |
|
Grand Total |
1,088 |
1,057 |
1,082 |
3,227 |
Note: Data is taken from the Primary Online Database enrolment data is fixed to the Census date 30th September 2023.
Please note that schools in Delagany, Newtownmountkennedy and Roundwood are located in the Greystones, Kilcoole and Rathdrum school planning areas.
Data is for academic year 2023-2024. the latest year we have final enrolment data for.
427. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education to confirm if there are any plans to develop a new secondary school in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14227/25]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas (SPA) and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including CSO Census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from Local Authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise.
The department also conducts granular analysis below the level of a school planning area, particularly where a school planning area encompasses both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (Aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
For school planning purposes Newtownmountkennedy is located in the Kilcoole SPA. There are currently no plans to establish a post primary school in Newtownmountkennedy. There is one post-primary school in the school planning area, Colaiste Chraobh Abhainn. There is currently a large-scale major project ongoing at Stage 3 to provide additional accommodation to increase capacity to 1,000 pupils plus 3 class SEN base. Stage 3 is the instruction for the project to proceed to tender. In addition, in 2020 a new post-primary school (Greystones Community College) was established to serve both the Kilcoole & Greystones SPAs as a regional solution.
As part of planning for September 2025, the department will be engaging with an increased number of post-primary schools across areas of potential enrolment pressure, including areas in counties Kildare, Wicklow, Dublin, Galway, and Cork. This engagement will include the request for admissions data to help identify duplicate applications and determine the need for additional places, if any, in the area. It is expected that, as in previous years, the data sharing will provide confidence that there is sufficient school place availability in the majority of areas. However, if a shortfall of places is identified in an area, the department will work with schools to put the necessary solutions in place.
The department has improved the central Post-Primary On-line Database IT system that schools use to register student enrolments. This is an important improvement and is available to assist schools to manage the enrolment process and provide real-time notification to schools where a new student has accepted a school place in more than one school. This will help identify duplicate enrolments at a very early stage.
The department has also written to all parents and guardians of children in sixth class with advice and guidance regarding the admissions process for post-primary for the 2025/26 school year. This letter advised parents to apply to multiple schools in areas where there is high demand and requested parents to take steps to avoid holding multiple places.
The department will continue to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of their County Development Plan and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.
428. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if there are any plans to review the policy which states that remote teaching and learning are not provided when schools are closed due to unforeseen circumstances, such as a severe weather event; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14234/25]
View answerThe decision to close a school in response to a severe weather event is a matter for individual school management authorities around the country, taking into consideration the full guidance and direction available from the principal response agencies, especially the local authority. Individual school management authorities are best placed to do this in light of local weather conditions, which can vary significantly in regions. Any decision to close is taken in the interest of child safety, having assessed the local risks and having consulted, as appropriate, with school transport operators.
The Departments guidance for schools in relation to making up for time lost due to unforeseen closures, which includes unforeseen closures due to weather conditions, is set out in appendix B of Circular 0072/2022 available via the following link: assets.gov.ie/239624/188a6d07-ea46-4bec-a4b9-6538128159da.docx
As outlined in Circular 0072/2022, significant flexibility is given to schools to make up tuition hours lost due to unforeseen circumstances.
My Department will be reviewing this circular later this year. This will also include setting out the dates of the standardised breaks for the 2026/27, 2027/28 and 2028/29 school years.
