Written Answers Nos. 190-202
190. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that the size of the available land on a site for the new three school campus in a location (details supplied) is likely to be reduced in size in order to facilitate required roads infrastructure; and if adjacent lands, identified by the school, can be purchased in order to provide adequate school space, including playing fields. [54379/25]
View answerThe development of the shared education campus at the site referred to by the deputy consists of an 8-classroom primary school with accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, as well as a new school building to cater for two post-primary schools to accommodate approximately 800 pupils, also with accommodation for students with special educational needs.
Significant PE facilities for the schools concerned are being constructed as part of this campus development. At post-primary level, these include:
• PE Hall, which includes Fitness Suite, Changing Suites, Showers and Equipment Stores, a total of 1,048m²
• 5 Hard Play Courts with a total area of 3,060m²
• 4 Secure Soft Play Areas, 200m² in total
In addition to this, the schedule of accommodation for the primary school includes the following physical education facilities:
• General Purpose Hall of 195m² plus associated areas
• Ballcourts with a total area of 585m²
• Junior Play Area of 200m ²
• 2 Secure Soft Play Areas, which are 100m ²in total
• Sensory Garden, which is another 100m ²
These facilities are consistent with that outlined in the Department's design guidelines for new schools.
Furthermore, as per any new school building, where the site area and building configuration permits, an area should be reserved suitable for use as a practice playing field. The Department notes that there are various community, recreation and sports facilities in relative proximity to the campus site and generally shared use of such facilities by schools and community groups is encouraged by this Department. Our technical guidance for post primary schools makes provision for a pitch only where it can be accommodated on the site. We do not acquire land specifically for the provision of pitches.
The Department’s priority at present is the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs. The Department considers that it may be the case that the patron of the 2 post-primary schools may wish to engage with the local county council over their plans for this land beside the campus and that it could be developed by the council and is an opportunity for the council to develop sporting facilities for use by the community.
The project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural process which allows for detailed design and planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents.? When this stage has been finalised and approved, the next stage is tendering for a contractor and then onwards to construction in due course.
191. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm if any staff devices (laptops, phones, USBs) containing departmental information or sensitive data were reported lost or stolen in the past five years; the number of devices reported; the data risk involved; and the associated cost of mitigation. [54380/25]
View answerThe number of lost or stolen devices in my Department from 2020 to the 7th of October 2025 is set out in the table below.
|
Year |
Lost/Stolen Devices |
Risk |
|
2020 |
1 |
No risk |
|
2021 |
4 |
No risk |
|
2022 |
6 |
4 low risk, 2 no risk. |
|
2023 |
9 |
2 low risk, 7 no risk. |
|
2024 |
4 |
1 low risk, 3 no risk. |
|
2025- to 7/10/2025 |
6 |
No risk |
In accordance with the Data Protection Commission's risk rating, seven of the breaches were considered low risk, while the remaining ones were deemed no risk.
The cost of replacing the lost or stolen device was the only mitigation cost that arose.
192. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth to detail the instances in which software or IT systems procured by her Department or agencies were later deemed unfit for purpose; and the costs of replacement or remediation. [54390/25]
View answerThere are no recorded instances of software or IT systems procured by my department subsequently being deemed unfit for purpose, and therefore no associated replacement or remediation costs.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with his query.
|
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Education as at 16 May 2025 |
|
|
|
Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta |
oireachtas@cogg.ie |
jacquelinenifhearghusa@cogg.ie |
|
Educational Research Centre |
Oireachtas.queries@erc.ie |
John.Regan@erc.ie |
|
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment |
Oireachtasqueries@ncca.ie |
Aine.ArmstrongFarrell@ncca.ie |
|
State Examinations Commission |
Oireachtas@examinations.ie |
john.mcdermott@examinations.ie |
|
The Teaching Council |
Oireachtas@teachingcouncil.ie |
rflynn@teachingcouncil.ie |
|
National Council for Special Education |
Oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie |
patrick.martin@ncse.ie and cindyjane.oconnell@ncse.ie |
|
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund – Caranu |
Michael.Fitzpatrick@caranua.ie |
Michael.Fitzpatrick@caranua.ie |
193. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the fact that in the 2025/2026 SNA Review Guidelines the application window for school led reviews is limited to 15 September to 24 October and excludes mid-year needs, if the Government will look to extend school led reviews; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54407/25]
View answer194. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the fact that in the 2025/2026 SNA Review Guidelines, SNA allocations are now unified across mainstream and special classes, this will lead to less support for children in mainstream if SNAs are reallocated; if she will instruct her Department to investigate this matter and ensure children have the support they need. [54408/25]
View answer195. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the fact that several groups have expressed concerns regarding 2025/2026 SNA Review Guidelines, if she will instruct her Department to suspend the guidelines until proper consultation with schools, SNA’s and parents can occur. [54409/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 193, 194 and 195 together.
This 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) issues guidance each year to schools regarding special needs assistant (SNA) reviews and the guidance for 2025/26 school year issued on the 12 September 2025.
It is important to clarify some of the issues raised since publication of the guidelines.
The process for allocating SNAs has been in place since 2014 and is not changing this year. There has been no freeze on SNAs, in fact the number of SNAs in our schools has increased by 43% in the last 5 years alone.
Schools were issued with their allocations for the 2025/26 school year in June and the NCSE has confirmed that no SNA post was removed from any school that was remaining open for the 2025/26 school year.
The SNA review window from 15 September to 24 October relates to schools who believe they do not have sufficient SNAs to support their care needs at present. It remains that a school can apply to the NCSE at any time during the school year, as in previous years, for a review where emerging or new care needs arise. An emerging care need for example would be changing care needs in their existing student enrolment, newly identified care need or a new enrolment(s) with care needs.
The NCSE has written to all schools since the publication of the guidelines to clarify that a school can request a review during the school year and not just in the review period set out in the guidelines.
I would also like to assure the deputy that new special classes continue to be supported with additional SNA posts each time a new class opens, this has not changed. The NCSE guidelines set out the number of SNA posts per each category of special class and there is no change to those baseline allocations.
196. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason parents are required to pay for swimming lessons, pool hire, and transport costs associated with swimming, despite swimming being part of the primary school physical education curriculum; if she will clarify whether schools receive any ring-fenced funding from her Department to deliver this part of the curriculum; and if she will outline her plans to ensure that all children have equal access to swimming without additional costs being placed on families. [54419/25]
View answerMy Department and its support services continue to work to support all schools and teachers to deliver the full breadth and balance of the curriculum. Physical Education is a core part of the curriculum at primary level which seeks to satisfy the physical needs of the child through a consistent and comprehensive experience of movement and play that challenges the child to realise his or her individual physical potential.
The redeveloped curriculum specification for Primary Wellbeing, including SPHE and PE, was recently published by my Department. The Wellbeing Curriculum aims to provide all children with a balanced, inclusive, age and developmentally appropriate understanding of human development and sexuality. This includes fostering healthy attitudes and relationships while recognising the diversity of human experience.
The Wellbeing Curriculum includes the subjects of PE and SPHE. Learning in the Wellbeing Curriculum is organised across four Strands:
• Movement Education
• Emotional and Relational Education
• Health Education
• Community and Belonging.
The PE activity areas, includes aquatics which aims to provide children with water and land-based learning to develop essential safety skills depending on access to suitable environments, transport and qualified instructors.
The Physical Education curricula at both primary and post-primary level have been developed on the understanding that facilities available to schools vary. Consequently, they offer a level of flexibility that allows each individual school to design a programme that can be delivered using the resources and supports available to it.
Where schools decide to provide pupils with swimming lessons in school time, they are expected to fund them from resources already available to them. Under the Rules for National Schools, while voluntary contributions may be sought, no school may charge a fee as a condition of admission to an activity provided within school hours.
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.
There will be multi-annual funding to support all areas of the curriculum, with future allocations depending on budgetary considerations and emerging needs as we roll out the curriculum nationwide.
This investment demonstrates the Department’s ongoing commitment to enhancing primary education and supporting all primary and special schools in providing a robust, well-rounded age-appropriate curriculum.
197. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 570 of 17 September 2025, if her attention has been drawn to the net shortfall in ancillary grant funding experienced by a school (details supplied); the actions she will take to address this shortfall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54427/25]
View answerThe Ancillary Services Grant is payable to recognised primary schools and special schools in the Free Education Scheme. The grant is intended to cater for the cost of employing Secretarial and Caretaking staff. It is up to the BOM to allocate this funding as per their priorities. As per Circular 0040/2009 the capitation grant provided for general running costs and the ancillary services grant provided for Secretarial and Caretaking services may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.
After Fórsa accepted the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) agreement about salaries and leave for grant-funded school secretaries, the secretaries who accepted the agreement were added to the Department of Education’s payroll from September 2023. Because of this, the ancillary-related grant funding has been updated, since schools are no longer paying these salaries directly.
Since the 2023/24 school year, schools have been paid the usual ancillary grant amount, minus the amount that schools previously paid to grant-funded secretaries prior to their acceptance of the new terms and conditions. Schools provided the Department with these details and this information is now being used to reduce the ancillary-related grant funding. Schools should be in no way disadvantaged by this, as the grant is reduced only by the amount they previously paid to their secretaries.
To date we have issued correspondence to schools with details of the arrangements for: September to December 2023, January to August 2024, September to December 2024 and January to August 2025.
In some situations, the salaries of ancillary staff in a particular school may have been higher than the ancillary grant due to the school, and the school may have funded this difference via other revenue streams. In situations where the salary that a school was paying their secretary was higher than the ancillary grant due to the school, prior to them being added to the Department of Education’s payroll, then the ancillary grant is reduced to NIL. This should not impact the school’s financial position.
For the specific school mentioned the ancillary grant has now been reduced to NIL as the salary the school was previously paying their secretary, prior to moving to the Department’s payroll, is now higher than the ancillary grant available to the school prior to reductions being applied due to a decrease in enrolments. The level of funding available to the school for ancillary staff, including their caretaker, has not changed as the school is no longer funding the salary of the secretary.
The rate of ancillary services grant has not decreased and continues to be paid based on the relevant enrolments in the school multiplied by the rates set out in Circular 0017/2021.
Work is ongoing to identify a method of standardising the reduction to the ancillary-related grants for the longer term where school secretaries are being paid on the Department’s payroll. Note the reductions may change when a permanent model for ancillary-related grant reductions has been finalised.
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 www.fssu.ie.
198. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a project will proceed to the next stage (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54468/25]
View answerThe school referred by the Deputy has been approved to enter the Department's pipeline for school building projects to provide two mainstream classrooms, two SET rooms and one special educational needs (SEN) classroom under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.
The project is currently at Stage 1 (Preliminary Design). The school submitted its initial Stage 1 report to the Department in Q3 2024, which was assessed from both technical and cost perspectives in accordance with the Public Infrastructure Guidelines. Following this review, the Department issued feedback on 11 March 2025, requesting a revised submission that addressed the recommendations and observations provided.
This revised Stage 1 report was received in Q3 2025 and is now undergoing further evaluation in line with the same guidelines. As with all projects, this process involves thorough due diligence to ensure compliance and value for money. Effective management of timelines, scope, and costs remains essential to maintaining budgetary discipline across the wider programme.
Once the current review is complete, the Department will engage with the delivery body to determine the most appropriate next steps for advancing this important project.
199. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that the current role of SNA is not diminished in any way and that the behavioural, emotional and sensory needs of the child will remain explicitly recognised in SNA support; if a more flexible rolling review process will be provided so children’s changing needs can be supported in real time; if she will ensure greater transparency around the redeployment scheme and the criteria used; if she will continue to expand the number of SNAs in classrooms and special needs units across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54470/25]
View answerMy department is fully committed to supporting the vital role that Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) play in our schools. This workforce provides essential support to students with additional needs, and their contribution to the educational experience of these students is deeply valued.
My department has been steadily building the level of SNA support in our education system. This school year there will be over 23,000 SNAs allocated to schools, working in our education system committed to supporting and nurturing children with special educational needs, enabling them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential. Budget 2026 provides for a further 1,717 SNA posts which will bring the total number of SNA’s to almost 25,000 by the end of 2026.
There is no question of diminution of the SNA role, rather, my department very much acknowledges the key role that SNAs play in our school communities. Consequently, my department established the Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Unit (SNAWDU) in 2022 to ensure that policy matters related to SNAs are given due time and attention. Work on the first SNA Workforce Development Plan in consultation with stakeholders including SNAs, school leaders and trade unions is at an advanced stage.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocation of SNA posts to schools and in this capacity has reviewed and notified school allocations for the 2025/26 school year based on the care needs of the enrolled students. If a school believes it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website. The NCSE provides support through the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) who is available to discuss deployment of SNA support. NCSE in-school support is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support. Further information is available on the NCSE website.
Work to develop an SNA redeployment scheme is ongoing. This important policy initiative will ensure that competent, knowledgeable and experienced SNAs are retained in our schools, building capacity in the workforce and enhancing the service to children with special educational needs. The SNA Redeployment scheme will be operated by the NCSE. For the first time, it will allow SNAs in posts which may no longer be required for reasons such as falling enrolments, reduced care needs or changing demographics, to be redeployed to a school which has a vacant post.
Implementation of the SNA Redeployment scheme will start during the 2025/26 school year shaped by feedback from a broad range of stakeholders. It is important to note that SNAs in surplus posts identified through the NCSE’s SNA Review process will remain in the relevant school for the rest of the academic year. Subject to identification of a suitable vacancy and assuming no change to SNA allocations in the meantime, they will subsequently be redeployed to a new post in September 2026. Further updates and resources are available via the SNA Information Hub at www.gov.ie/snahub
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.
200. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the case of a child (details supplied); the way in which the SNA guidelines will affect children with additional needs; and if she will commit to ensuring that the cases such as these have all necessary supports. [54518/25]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that children will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
Special needs assistants (SNAs) play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
SNA posts are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the children enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
The NCSE has confirmed to my department that no school remaining open for the 2025/26 school year will lose an SNA post for the 2025/26 school year.
The NCSE issues guidance each year to schools regarding SNA reviews and the guidance for 2025/26 school year issued on the 12 September 2025. A school can apply to the NCSE at any time during the school year, as in previous years, for a SNA post allocation review where emerging or new care needs arise. An emerging care need for example would be changing care needs in their existing student enrolment, newly identified care need or a new enrolment(s) with care needs.
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.
201. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures currently in place to ensure compliance with the right of children to opt out of religious instruction, and that suitable alternative educational activities are provided in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54537/25]
View answerThe manner in which any school ensures that the right to not attend religion instruction classes is upheld is a matter for the school concerned. Each individual school must determine the particular arrangements which are most appropriate in its individual circumstances, having regard to local issues such as available space, supervision requirements and how the school concerned organises classes etc.
Guidance for good practice is available to schools in the follow-up paper to the Report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector which was published in 2014. The paper provides an overview of different types of arrangements that schools can put in place to facilitate parents who do not wish for their children to attend religious instruction.
The paper encourages school authorities to consider their policies and practices and to review whether they are taking the steps necessary to welcome all pupils and make them feel included.
The Catholic Schools Partnership has also published guidelines for Catholic schools in relation to the inclusion of all pupils. These guidelines also support school to facilitate requests to attend school without attending religious instruction.
Most primary schools are State-aided parish schools, with the local bishop as patron. It is recognised, including by the Catholic school patrons, that our schools need to more accurately reflect the reality of our increasingly diverse society and meet the expectations parents have for their children.
The Minister for Education and Youth has confirmed her intention to set out a comprehensive plan aimed at expanding parental choice in relation to multidenominational education. This initiative reflects the Government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that the education system is inclusive, diverse, and responsive to the evolving needs of families across the country.
The schools reconfiguration process aims to meet demand from local school communities and to accelerate the delivery of multidenominational schools by transferring schools to multidenominational patrons, where school communities support this.
The department has published a comprehensive Education Plan 2025 that outlines a significant body of work being undertaken this year to deliver for everyone in our school and youth services’ communities.
There are over 100 actions in this plan including a commitment to launch a survey of primary school parents and guardians and parents and guardians of children not yet in school on their preferences on important aspects of school provision and choice, such as the future patronage, ethos of their school. Also included in the plan is a commitment to provide best practice guidance to schools in relation to arrangements to facilitate parental requests for children to attend school without attending religious instruction.
The Minister intends to launch the survey in the coming period. Further details will be announced in due course.
The department is currently engaging with stakeholders and consulting with education partners to ensure that any plans, particularly those concerning the primary school survey, are carefully planned, timely, and effective.
202. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 456 and 457 of 17 September 2025, in which she stated that her Department publishes procurement-related payment reports in PDF format ‘to avoid potential manipulation of the data contained in such reports’, if she is aware that this practice has led to instances in which supplier names are truncated or not fully visible in the published Quarter 2 2025 report; if she accepts that this outcome undermines rather than enhances transparency; and if she will review her Department’s approach and commit to publishing reports in machine-readable formats (CSV or Excel) as already done by a number of other Departments in line with S.I. No. 376/2021 and open data best practice (details supplied). [54551/25]
View answerMy Department currently publishes these reports in PDF as it is machine readable format and maintains formatting and page layout regardless of the device used to access reports.
My Department is committed to the ongoing examination and review of our publication policies in order to ensure compliance with all EU Open Data standards and requirements.
