Written Answers Nos. 83-100
83. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has carried out any research or analysis in the past twelve months on the increasing costs impacting primary and post-primary schools. [33082/25]
View answerThe 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.
As part of the capitation package in Budget 2025 the Department is 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. Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure.
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 and €55 per student in post-primary schools. Enhanced rates were also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.
The Department of Education is aware that costs and funding can pose a problem for schools, and is constantly working to address this matter, and to enhance the financial and other supports available to schools.
Any possible further increases will be part of Budget 2026 negotiations. The Department of Education will continue to seek and prioritise the additional funding required to meet the ongoing costs of running schools as part of the annual Estimates process.
The programme for government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet their elevated day-today running costs
The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), funded by the 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 ww.fssu.ie.
84. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth her rationale for excluding primary schools from the funding scheme for smart phone storage solutions, given that 94% of 8-12-year-olds own a smart decide according to a 2023/2024 Cyber Safe Kids survey. [33083/25]
View answerI recently announced that the funding scheme for post-primary schools in the free education scheme to procure an appropriate phone storage solution to implement the ban on mobile phone usage by students during the school day, is now open for applications. Schools have discretion as to whether their policy will be enabled through a secure mobile phone storage solution, and where a solution is to be used, can apply for funding to procure the solution that best suits their context and requirements. As outlined in the funding circular (0046/2025), such expenditure must be in line with procurement and financial requirements for public funds. This is what was announced as part of the Budget in October 2025.
The funding scheme is complemented with a circular for post-primary schools with guidance and support to assist school communities in developing their approach to restricting the use of and access to mobile phones during the school day. The circular at primary level also contains that guidance and support, however, in line with research and recommendations including those in the Norwegian Screen Use Committee Report, the approach for the primary age cohort is that there is a ban during the school day.
The funding provision is focused on post-primary schools as, statistically, mobile phone ownership among primary-age children is not as widespread as at post-primary. As the Deputy is aware, the Cybersafe Kids survey data shows that while 94% of 8–12-year-olds have a smart device, of that 94%, 49% of those devices are smartphones, less than half of 94%. The equivalent data for 12–14-year-olds in post-primary schools in the Cybersafe Kids survey is that 99% have a smart device, and of those, 97% are mobile phones. While this does not include the full age group at post-primary, it is safe to assume that that statistic is likely to apply for all post-primary students. In determining the approach, it was noted also that managing the ban on mobile phones in primary schools where children are not moving between rooms and teachers, is more straightforward.
The funding is intended to support positive wellbeing among all pupils and students, helping them to disconnect, learn and engage with their peers without the distractions that can arise from the use of mobile phones.
You may wish to note also my department published guidelines in 2023 for parents called Keeping Childhood Smartphone Free. These guidelines provide practical advice and suggestions to support parents and parent associations wishing to develop voluntary codes regarding smartphone use among primary school children. The aim is to support parents who wish to come together with their school community to explore and agree the best approach to mediate their children’s engagement with the online world through the use of a smartphone device, including adopting a voluntary code for their children to not own a smartphone while they are attending primary school.
85. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth to instruct a school (details supplied) to open a special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33133/25]
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.
My department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. Building on successive budgets, Budget 2025 secured funding for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children. The NCSE has sanctioned 399 of the new 400 classes and is confident that this new provision when added to existing available provision will meet known demand for the new school year.
This year the NCSE focused on medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class for the 2025/26 school year. This will ensure that classes can open quickly as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner but also that new provision is established in as many schools as possible. This provides parents more options when deciding which schools to apply to and ensures that provision continues to grow in a diverse number of schools across regions. This should also help in reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class place.
However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level and there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.
The NCSE advise that there are more than sufficient special class places available across schools in County Cork for the coming school year to meet the level of need known to them.
Looking forward, my department and the NCSE have begun preparatory work in relation to planning for the provision of further new special class and special school places for the 2026/27 school year and beyond. The NCSE will be visiting schools in the near future to determine which schools are best placed to accommodate new classes for the 2026/27 school year.
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.
86. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently review and allow the retention of two teachers in a DEIS school (details supplied) in County Kerry as their removal will mean class sizes of over 40 pupils which is unacceptable, and will the Minister make; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33140/25]
View answer87. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 472 of 8 April 2025, why the enrolment threshold for an administrative principal is 136 pupils in Dublin, while in Kerry it is 169; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33144/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 87 together.
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally.
The school referred to by the Deputy is to have a teaching post suppressed in September due to falling enrolments.
The primary school staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025. These arrangements contain an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school’s staffing appeal was unsuccessful. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). There is no indication from the school that there will be classes in excess of 40 for the coming school year.
The allocation of an administrative principal is based on a school’s enrolment. In ordinary and DEIS Rural schools, the enrolment threshold is 169. In DEIS Band 2 schools, the enrolment required for an administrative principal is 136, while in DEIS Urban Band 1 schools, it is 113. These thresholds apply to all similar types of schools equally, regardless of location. The school referred to by the Deputy fell below the required enrolment to maintain an administrative principal for the 2025/26 school year.
88. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the planned closure of an autism class at a school (details supplied), despite sufficient interest in enrolment for the 2025/2026 school year to warrant two autism classes; if she will instruct the NCSE to reconsider its proposal to close the class and review the individual enrolment cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33164/25]
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.
My department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. Building on successive budgets, Budget 2025 secured funding for up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, and an additional 300 special school places for the 2025/26 school year. This will deliver 2,700 new places for children and will bring the total number of special classes nationwide to over 3,700. 36 of these are in County Sligo of which four are new for the 2025/26 school year.
As the deputy is aware special classes are sanctioned based on known demand in local areas. This is important so that students are not required to travel long distances in order to access a special education placement. The NCSE has confirmed that children in the area known to be seeking a specialist placement have been placed in classes within their local areas, as a result there is insufficient demand in this school's local area to keep this special class resourced for the 2025/26 school year. The NCSE have discussed this matter with the school at local level. The NCSE will continue to monitor the situation and will continue to sanction classes as required to meet known demand.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs.
89. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of a primary school (details supplied) where due to a loss of a teacher, the school will be required to manage three or more class levels in a single classroom—such as arrangements where one teacher is responsible for junior infants, senior infants, and first class, or for second, third, and fourth class; the steps her Department is taking to address the educational and professional challenges this poses for teachers, and more importantly, the learning impact on students; if she will consider reviewing pupil-teacher ratio thresholds and resourcing models for small schools to ensure more equitable and effective classroom structures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33209/25]
View answerThe key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally.
The school referred to by the Deputy is to have a teaching post suppressed in September due to falling enrolments.
The primary school staffing arrangements for the 2025/26 school year are set out in Circular 0011/2025. These arrangements contain an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Information and application forms are available in Circular 0011/2025. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.).
90. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if a late-application process is available under the grassroots music venues support scheme; if an appeal process is available under the grassroots music venues support scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32993/25]
View answer91. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if the grassroots music venues support scheme will re-open, given the high level of interest; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32994/25]
View answerI propose to take Question 91 and Question 90 together.
I launched the Grassroots Music Venue Support Scheme in March this year, to support small established music venues that promote themselves and are known in the community for programming grassroots music artists. The Scheme operated with a total fund of €500,000 and grants were available of up to €15,000 to host events showcasing the talent of emerging, grassroots artists performing live music they have written or created themselves.
Applications were assessed by my officials strictly by order of date and time of receipt and all venues had to meet the eligibility criteria and conditions of funding, in accordance with the guidelines of the Scheme. The Scheme was extremely popular and was closed on the 10th April 2025, as it was oversubscribed.
Last week I announced the names of 33 venues that were awarded funding, with 16 of the venues announced located outside the major cities, underscoring the Government’s commitment to supporting rural and regional cultural hubs.
An appeal process is available and can be made by an applicant to the Department if they consider that the process for reviewing their application was not adhered to.
I understand that there are many disappointed applicants but as I have previously said this is the first phase of this scheme and I will consider a second phase.
92. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the development of the new basic income for artists scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33068/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to assessing the Basic Income for the Arts pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. I fully appreciate the importance of the Basic Income support for artists. I know there is broad-based support for the scheme, and I met recently with the National Campaign for the Arts (NCFA) to hear its views on the scheme in detail.
Evaluation of the pilot is continuous, as participants complete a survey every six months. My Department is currently preparing a report examining the first 24 months of the scheme.
A further interview research paper, written by an independent researcher, was published recently. This paper collects the experiences of 50 BIA recipients, who have been interviewed by a sociologist. A cost-benefit analysis paper is also being prepared.
While the research phase of the pilot scheme is still ongoing, it is clear from evidence collected to date under the scheme that it is having a positive impact on participants. This data shows that the BIA payment is having a consistent, positive impact across almost all indicators - affecting practice development, sectoral retention, well-being, and deprivation. Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to devote more time to their art, produce more pieces of work, experience a boost to their wellbeing through greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety, and are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.
A Government decision will be required on a successor scheme to the pilot, and the future of the BIA will be decided when the final results of the research are available which will provide the Government with the evidence base upon which to base future policy decisions about the Basic Income for the Arts.
93. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a grant exists to provide deaf people with smoke and carbon dioxide alarms designed specifically for hearing impaired people. [33116/25]
View answerMy Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to administer the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, which support older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The suite of grants, which include the Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, are funded by my Department with a contribution from the resources of the local authority.
The Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People is available for the carrying out of works of adaptation that, in the opinion of the local authority, are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for a member of the household who has an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability. In general, these grant schemes can be used for works such as level access showers, accessible bathrooms, access ramps, stair lifts, fixed track hoists or extensions. Grant aid may also be considered for assistive technologies which are infrastructural related, such as integrated smoke and carbon dioxide alarms suitable for a member of the household who has an enduring hearing impairment. The detailed administration of the schemes is the responsibility of the local authorities, therefore the qualifying works is a matter for consideration and decision on a case-by-case basis by the local authority within the scope of the grant scheme.
Further details on these schemes is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-housing-local-government-and-heritage/services/housing-adaptation-grants-for-older-people-and-disabled-people-private-houses/.
94. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the efforts of the Government to highlight the potential economic impacts of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive; if the Government has outlined any concerns about whether the Directive adheres to the polluter pays principle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33186/25]
View answerMy Department is engaging with external consultants to undertake an independent assessment of costs for Ireland associated with the measures in the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive.
The recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive applies the Polluter Pays Principle by including a provision for "Extended Producer Responsibility" for specific micro-pollutants. The Directive requires a contribution from pharmaceutical and personal care products producers of at least 80% of the costs of removal of specific micro-pollutants from wastewater. According to the EU Commission's impact assessment, these sectors are estimated to contribute 92% of these micro-pollutants to wastewater streams.
95. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on the recent comments from European Health Commissioner, Olivér Várhelyi (details supplied), which indicate that the European Commission is now reassessing the expected impacts of the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive; if there are plans for his Department to reassess or pause its implementation plan in respect of the Directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33188/25]
View answerMy Department is currently working on the transposition of the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive into national legislation. The deadline for transposition is 30 June 2027. My Department has established a national expert group to assist with the transposition of the recast Directive. This expert group includes key participants from the following organisations: Uisce Éireann, Environmental Protection Agency, Commission for Regulation of Utilities, County and City Management Association, Department of Climate, Energy and Environment, Department of Health, Local Authority Water Programme, Health Service Executive, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and Geological Survey Ireland.
The EU Commission published the European Water Resilience Strategy in June 2025 and in that it has indicated that “In the context of the implementation of the extended producer responsibility system referred to in Article 9 of Directive (EU) 2024/3019 on urban wastewater treatment, the Commission will conduct an updated study of costs and its potential impacts on concerned sectors. In addition, the Commission will continue to support Member States in the pragmatic design of national systems with a view to avoiding unexpected or unintended consequences, in particular for the availability and affordability of medicines”.
This study of the impacts has not yet commenced. My Department will continue to engage fully in the work at EU level regarding the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. When the EU Commission finalises this work and if the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive is amended in any way as a consequence, then this will reflected in the transposing legislation, accordingly.
Until then, the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive has to be transposed before 30 June 2027. Therefore, my Department is continuing to work on transposing the recast Directive to ensure the Ireland meets that deadline.
96. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if landlords who improve BER ratings for existing tenants will continue to be able to seek increases to market level rent rates following the implementation of the Government’s new rent control measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32873/25]
View answerThe General Scheme of the Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No.2) Bill 2025 is currently being developed. The exemptions from current rent increase restriction in Rent Pressure Zones (RPZs) under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2024 will inform the development of the impending General Scheme and the drafting of the upcoming Bill.
The substantial renovation and refurbishment of rental dwellings is to be welcomed to benefit tenants, landlords and the environment.
97. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider implementing legislation to compel landlords or housing bodies to notify tenants of overpayments and promptly return such payments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32875/25]
View answerThe Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) was established as a quasi-judicial independent statutory body under the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2024, to operate a national tenancy registration system and to facilitate the resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants.
Where there is a question regarding the appropriate level of rent paid, a dispute may be referred to the RTB under Part 6 of the Acts - please see www.rtb.ie/ for information on the RTB's dispute resolution service.
When landlords, tenants and third parties bring disputes to the RTB, they receive a legally binding Determination Order, which may direct the payment of damages of up to €20,000, and if not complied with, can be enforced through the District Court.
My Department and the RTB keep the operation of the Residential Tenancies Act and the residential rental sector under constant review with a view making any necessary legal change.
98. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the €50 million in funding announced in 2022 for wastewater infrastructure in areas without existing public sewerage systems (unserviced or “unsewered” villages), such as Craughwell and Clarinbridge; the amount of this funding that has been spent to date; to provide a breakdown, by year, location, and project status, in tabular form; and to clarify the criteria, process, and governance arrangements for allocating and managing these grants. [32908/25]
View answerIn December 2023, approval in principle was given pursuant to my Department's Multi-annual Rural Water Programme to a number of projects under for the waste water collection and treatment needs of villages without access to public waste water services.
Following this approval my Department wrote directly to each local authority advising it of the maximum funding approved for each project and the contribution required from each local authority, which is 15% of the total costs, as set out in the terms of the funding programme.
Local authorities are responsible for the delivery of these projects and are required to work in consultation with Uisce Éireann, reflecting the fact that the infrastructure being built will ultimately fall to be owned and operated by Uisce Éireann.
There has been significant follow-up engagement between the local authorities concerned and Uisce Éireann to allow them to confirm the most efficient construction options and to provide certainty to the local authorities on the funding contribution required from them for each project.
A final decision will be made on the grant of funding when the local authorities confirm that all of the necessary arrangements are in place.
99. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on whether Fingal local authority will be included in the defective block scheme; the timeline as to when the decision will be signed off; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32913/25]
View answerThe Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Act 2022 (the Act) was commenced on 22 June 2023 which contains the enhanced grant scheme and adopted the related Regulations on 29 June 2023.
The scheme is now open to applications in five counties: Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo with comprehensive information of all aspects of the Scheme available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/8002e-enhanced-defective-concrete-blocks-grant-scheme/.
When a local authority that is not designated under the Scheme determines through the established mechanisms that homes within their functional area have been damaged by defective concrete blocks, they can seek to have the scheme extended to include any such county or part of such county.
Section 5 of the Act contains details on this process. This statutory designation process can commence upon a request by a local authority or by myself, as Minister, to the Housing Agency. The Agency thereafter carries out technical testing of dwellings in a given local authority administrative area. As soon as practicable after the completion of any testing, the Housing Agency shall make a recommendation to me whether an order to designate the whole or part of a local authority's administrative area should or should not be made by the Government.
I understand that Fingal County Council, in accordance with Section 5(7) of the Act submitted a request to the Housing Agency on 21 September, 2023 for inclusion in the scheme. The Housing Agency appointed a Chartered Engineer from their existing framework panel to assist in their investigations and consultations. The investigations (including concrete block sampling and testing) and consultations required under the Act started in December 2023.
Subsequently, the Housing Agency received the concrete block test results from the properties sampled within the administrative area of Fingal County Council which showed that these properties were presenting signs of damage as a result of defective concrete blocks.
These test results provided the Housing Agency with the information required to appoint their Chartered Engineer to commence investigations and consultations.
The Housing Agency has confirmed to my Department that its investigations and consultations have now been completed. I recently received the report from the Housing Agency and I will be considering the recommendations made in the near future.
100. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide updated figures on the installation of heat pumps in new homes, from 2021 to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32924/25]
View answerThe Energy Performance of Buildings Directive sets ambitious goals for energy efficiency and renewables in buildings by requiring Nearly Zero Energy Building or “NZEB” performance for new buildings from 31 December 2020.
All new dwellings are now A2 rated and electrical heating systems, which are mainly renewable heat pump, are installed in nearly all new dwellings.
In 2021 the BER database showed that 85% of new dwellings had installed heat pumps. This figure has increased every quarter since and CSO analysis shows that the figures were 97% in 2023 and 98% in 2024 and in Q1 2025.
The CSO database providing the breakdown of dwellings using electrical heating mainly from heat pumps is available here:
www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-dber/domesticbuildingenergyratingsquarter12025/.
