Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2025
486. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to ensure that the revised primary curriculum adequately meets the needs of children with special educational needs and those in disadvantaged schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51774/25]
View answerThe Primary Curriculum Framework which was published in 2023, and the new curriculum specifications is equally for all primary and special schools and for all learners with all their varied backgrounds, needs and abilities. They support boards of management in their statutory duties to ensure that appropriate education is provided for all children in our schools.
The new curriculum specifications have been developed for the five curriculum areas and their associated subjects for all learners, and toolkits will be provided to support learning, teaching, and assessment. Advancements in special education and Irish Sign Language (ISL), as a recognised language of Ireland, will also be progressed in line with Department of Education and wider policy
In the special school context the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has been involved throughout the development process and will continue that involvement as we work towards enactment of the curriculum in the schools. The intended learning for children will be drawn from an age-appropriate primary or post-primary curriculum to ensure children have access to, participate in and benefit from an education that is inclusive and appropriate to their abilities and needs.
Significant investment of €9 million was made available to primary and special schools at the end of 2024. This was to ensure that schools have essential resources and materials to deliver a curriculum that meets the needs of all learners. The first of the grants were specifically aimed at supporting the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and Arts education.
Grants were calculated as follows:
• Fixed payment per school: €500.00
• Per-pupil payment: €14.03
• DEIS/SEN rate per pupil: €16.13
This ensured that schools received appropriate funding based on their size and specific needs.
