Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 July 2025
344. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount of funding given to each county as part of the fund for students with disabilities in each of the years 2014 to 2024, and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40513/25]
View answerMy department provides a range of supports for students with special educational needs including those who are deaf or hard of hearing. These supports are provided through mainstream classes, the 25 hearing impairment classes and through the two dedicated schools for Deaf children.
The department has in place an Irish Sign Language (ISL) Home Tuition scheme which supports families of students who rely on ISL. This scheme was introduced in 2020 and provides funding to families to ensure ISL tutors for children who communicate through ISL. In the 2024 calendar year, 215 children and their families were supported under the scheme by approximately 80 tutors.
In addition, in 2024, under my department’s Assistive Technology scheme, over 440 children have benefitted from specialised equipment for the hearing-impaired.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Visiting Teacher (VT) service is also available and the NCSE advise that this service supports approximately 5,300 students who are deaf/hard of hearing. The VT service has expanded by 16% since it transferred to the NCSE in 2017.
The Education Plan 2025, which was announced on the 19 of June 2025, confirmed Government approval for the establishment of the Education Therapy Service (ETS).
The ETS will be delivered by the NCSE. The service will assign therapist/s to special schools and employ a multi-tiered model of support, which includes supports at a universal, targeted and individualised level. Ensuring children with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support.
Work is ongoing on the establishment of the ETS and discussions regarding schools for inclusion in the initial roll-out is at a very early stage.
It is anticipated that the service will commence in some special schools at a later stage in the 2025/26 school year. Further roll out of the service will occur on a phased basis with a wider roll-out to other special schools within the 2026/2027 school year. This service will be expanded over time, to include special and mainstream classes.
