Written Answers Nos. 431-450
431. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if additional resourcing, financial and staffing, will be allocated to ensure that inclusive education measures are implemented within defined timelines under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. [62884/25]
View answer436. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether additional resourcing, financial and staffing will be allocated to ensure that inclusive education measures are implemented within defined timelines under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. [62912/25]
View answer432. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth when an additional special class will be sanctioned at a school (details supplied); and if this sanction will be expedited given the school has identified the need for an additional special class. [62885/25]
View answerMy Department and the National Council for Special Education (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.
As you are aware parents were asked to notify the NCSE of their requirement for a special class for the 2026/27 school year by 1 October 2025. The NCSE is now collating and assessing the information gathered through this notification process. Once complete the NCSE will be in a position to engage with schools across the country to open new special classes.
In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible the NCSE prioritise working with medium and larger primary schools who do not already have a special class and have available accommodation to accommodate new special class. This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases number of schools with special classes providing parents with greater choice and 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 will also have due regard to any vacant places in existing special classes in an area and any places that will be become available through the normal movement of children leaving primary or post-primary school.
The school referred to by the Deputy already has 3 special classes and any school willing to open further new special classes is to be commended.
The NCSE will assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs and will continue to review and monitor the situation as to where new specialist provision is required.
433. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) has been unsuccessful in securing additional SNA allocation; if she will ensure that this decision is reviewed with a view to increasing the SNA allocation as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62899/25]
View answer434. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the application from a school (details supplied) for emergency special classroom sanction considering the urgent need for a dedicated special classroom; if she will ensure approval for this request so that the additional classroom will be operational for the 2026-2027 academic year, or sooner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62900/25]
View answer435. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of Church of Ireland schools in the diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh; the number therein that currently have a special classroom; the number therein that have applied for a special classroom; if there are proposals to grant any remaining Church of Ireland schools in the same diocese a special classroom for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62901/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 433, 434 and 435 together.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for children with special educational needs. It has advised that the school referred to by the Deputy recently received a review of their special needs assistant (SNA) allocation. The school was notified that a change in allocation was not warranted at this time.
As you are aware 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.
The NCSE's local special educational needs organiser (SENO) remains available to the school to discuss their current deployment of SNA supports and offer advice as to how to put these supports to the best advantage of the students. The NCSE in-school support service is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.
The NCSE actively encourage expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing their interest.
Budget 2026 has provided funding for 3,000 new special educational places within our education system and the NCSE is examining where this provision is best placed for the 2026/27 school year. In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible the NCSE prioritise working with medium and larger primary schools who do not already have a special class and have available accommodation to accommodate new special class.
This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases the number of schools with special classes providing parents with greater choice and reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class placement.
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, additional classroom accommodation will be provided.
The NCSE is currently collating the information received via the parents notify process. Parents were asked to notify the NCSE by the 1 October if seeking a special educational placement in the 2026/27 school year. Once this data and information has been verified the NCSE will then be in a position to engage with schools and match which schools are best placed to open new classes to meet known demand in local areas. The NCSE is working towards sanctioning the majority of new special classes for the 2026/27 school year by 31 December 2025.
Details on the number of special classes in the 19 Church of Ireland schools in the diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh is available in the attached table. A a list of schools with special classes; broken by location and class designation is also available on the NCSE [website].
437. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 626 of 14 November 2025, the correspondence her Department has had with DDLETB on the best way to support the young people in the Citywest and Saggart area; if the youth affairs unit has met with DDLETB on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62954/25]
View answer438. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 626 of 14 November 2025, if she will reconsider the UBU application that has been resubmitted to her officials in respect of the proposal for a new service in the Citywest, Saggart and Rathcoole area in light of the recent events; if Budget 2026 will ensure this service is delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62955/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 438 together.
The Department is dedicated to enhancing the delivery and development of youth work services and opportunities for young people across the country, including in the Citywest, Saggart and Rathcoole area.
As the Deputy is aware, €1.2 million was provided to establish ten new UBU youth services in Budget 2025, which will deliver targeted youth worker-led support to up to an additional 1,000 young people in the selected areas.
The ten new UBU services were selected based on a competitive assessment process. The successful education and training boards (ETBs) have now completed their call for service and have provided the department with confirmation of the youth organisations selected to establish and deliver these new?services?in the selected areas. Whilst the need for UBU youth services was demonstrated in all submissions, funding was allocated based on the results of the assessment process.
Following this process, the ten ETBs awarded funding for a new UBU service are as follows:
• Cavan and Monaghan ETB
• Donegal ETB
• Kerry ETB
• Kildare and Wicklow ETB
• Kilkenny and Carlow ETB
• Laois and Offaly ETB
• Longford and Westmeath ETB
• Louth and Meath ETB
• Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETB
• Tipperary ETB
The Department met with Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB on 12 November 2025 to discuss the current youth work provision in the Citywest, Saggart and Rathcoole area and are continuing discussions on how best to support the young people in this area.
439. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an additional SNA will be provided to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62963/25]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I will arrange for your query to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at: [oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie]. []
440. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to examine the case of a person (details supplied) who is due to start senior cycle in a special school but is due to turn 18 this year and will be unable to finish senior cycle in that school; if an allowance can be made for this student to remain in the school. [62964/25]
View answerSpecial schools funded by my Department are classified as primary national schools. They are intended, in accordance with the provisions of rule 64(1) of the Rules for National Schools, to provide an education to children and young people, with special educational needs, aged from 4 years to until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.
Special schools may however seek approval from my Department for an exemption from rule 64(1) in respect of students over the age of 18 who are pursuing courses leading to accreditation on the National Qualifications Framework (e.g. Senior Cycle, Junior Cycle Level One and Level Two learning programmes (L1L2LPs)/Leaving Cert Applied/QQI Level 3).
A request for an exemption from rule 64(1) can only be made by a school where in addition to the above:
The student requires one additional year in order to complete their course
Retaining the student in the school for another school year will not prevent a younger student being enrolled there and
Plans are in place to transition the student to a post-school setting at the end of the school year.
Special schools are invited each year to make applications to my department for exemptions from rule 64(1) in respect of students who meet the above criteria. Where the criteria is met, my department will approve the exemptions.
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.
441. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on a proposed school building project (details supplied), which was initially granted approval in February 2020 under the additional school accommodation scheme, and for which a revised Stage 2(a) submission was completed and submitted in June 2025; the current status of the project, the expected next steps, and an indicative timeline for progression to tender and construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62990/25]
View answerThe project referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide fourteen mainstream classrooms (eight prefab replacement), three science labs with shared prep area, one textiles room, one DCG/tech graphics room, one art room, one technology prep area, two project stores, a four classroom Special Educational Needs (SEN) base and ancillary.
This project has been devolved to Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB).
This project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural planning process. A Stage 2A submission was received and reviewed. As the initial submission did not include all the necessary information, a revised Stage 2A report was requested. A revised Stage 2A report has been received and is currently undergoing review from both a technical and cost perspective.
Once this review is complete, my department will contact the GRETB and provide guidance on the next steps for this project.
442. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will support the opening of an additional ASD class at a school (details supplied). [62999/25]
View answer460. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the application by a school (details supplied) to open a second autism class; if she will ensure that this application is promptly approved so that the class can open in the next school year without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63169/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 442 and 460 together.
My Department and the National Council for Special Education (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.
As you are aware parents were asked to notify the NCSE of their requirement for a special class for the 2026/27 school year by 1 October 2025. The NCSE is now collating and assessing the information gathered through this notification process. Once complete the NCSE will be in a position to engage with schools across the country to open new special classes.
In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible the NCSE prioritise working with medium and larger primary schools who do not already have a special class and have available accommodation to accommodate new special class. This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases number of schools with special classes providing parents with greater choice and reducing the distances thatsome 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 will also have due regard to any vacant places in existing special classes in an area and any places that will be become available through the normal movement of children leaving primary or post-primary school.
The school referred to by the Deputy already has 3 special classes and any school willing to open further new special classes is to be commended.
The NCSE will assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. My Department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs.
443. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to assist a school (details supplied) in County Kerry in the purchase of additional autism equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63003/25]
View answerIn relation to the school referred, my Department approved funding for re-purposing to provide one Special Education Needs Classroom (SEN) and the provision of Modular Accommodation comprising one Mainstream Classroom, one SET room and one Art Room under my Department’s Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation Programme.
This approach supports accelerated delivery of the accommodation and maximises assistance to the school for this brief. A Project Management company has be appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project.
Under the terms of this scheme, a play area is provided as a condition for the provision of the SEN classroom. A set grant amount is provided to schools which allows them to purchase equipment for the soft play area. A maximum of €5000 is allowed per SEN class towards the purchase and installation of suitable play equipment. The onus is on the school authority to determine what equipment will be required based on the pupils needs and requirements in conjunction with the project managers.
444. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of vacancies which arose at principal officer level for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 in her Department and agencies under the aegis of her Department; the number of these vacancies filled between internal and external methods; the number of vacancies each year at principal officer level filled by mobility; the number of internal competitions for principal officer grade run by her Department since 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63022/25]
View answerThere have been five internal competitions for Principal Officer grade since 2010. The number of vacancies filled from 2022 to 2025 (year to date) is tabulated below.
|
- |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
|
Internal Promotion |
4 |
2 |
0 |
6 |
|
Mobility |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Externally Filled* |
7 |
6 |
5 |
2 |
|
Total |
13 |
9 |
7 |
10 |
* By open and interdepartmental competitions run by the Public Appointments Service
445. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the delivery of a new school building for a school (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63038/25]
View answerThe project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to the Laois Offaly Education Training Board (LOETB).
The project is currently at Stage 2A of the architectural design process. In Quarter 2 2025, a Stage 2A report was submitted to the Department for review and is undergoing an intensive review from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code.
LOETB have proposed an option to acquire an alternative site for this project. This proposal has been reviewed by the Department and following further engagement LOETB are now finalising cost comparisons on the two sites.
In July, the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my Department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs. It is planned that circa 80 school building projects will progress to construction across 2026 and 2027 as part of a 2-year rolling programme.
All Government Departments are expected to publish their sectoral NDP Implementation Plans in November. My Department’s plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs.
446. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for the delay in the building works for a new ASD classroom (details supplied); if she will engage as a matter of urgency with the school and her Department to ensure the building works are completed as quickly as possible; the provision being made to ensure the children who were due to be in the ASD class in September 2025 are receiving an appropriate education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63079/25]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers to was granted capital funding for the provision of two Special Educational Needs Classrooms under the Department’s SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme.
The programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects.
Rogerson Reddan (RR) has been appointed from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project at the school in question. This is a collaborative process between the Project Manager, School Authority and the Department. Works have commenced on site and is earmarked for completion in early Q2 2026.
The Department is fully aware of the urgency in respect of this accommodation and will be working closely with the Project Managers and School Authority to keep it updated on overall project delivery and timelines
447. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration will be given to extending a bus service to include an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63080/25]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.
Bus Éireann has advised that pupils residing in the area referred to by the Deputy are attending at least their fifth nearest post primary school/centre so are not eligible for transport to the school in question. Routes cannot be altered for concessionary pupils.
Under the current terms of the scheme children are eligible for transport post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Eligible children who complete the application process and pay or enter their medical card details on time will get a seat on a school bus service, if a service is available.
Children who are not eligible for school transport but complete the application and pay or enter their medical card details on time will be considered for any spare seats available after eligible children have been accommodated. These spare seats are called concessionary seats.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
448. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeframe for the implementation of the new DEIS Plus Programme; and if she will ensure that DEIS Plus funding and resources will be made available to participating schools before the end of the 2025-2026 school year to allow for advance planning, staffing, and resource allocation. [63084/25]
View answer449. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if all DEIS Plus funding will be directed primarily to schools, rather than intermediary agencies, to ensure that resources go directly to children and classroom supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63085/25]
View answer450. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will commit to giving schools autonomy in the way in which DEIS Plus resources are used locally, given the ability of school leaders and boards of management to best assess their own pupils’ needs. [63086/25]
View answer452. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if DEIS Plus will include specific supports for trauma-informed education, including funding for nurture rooms, wellbeing spaces, and additional staffing to support children impacted by disadvantage and trauma. [63088/25]
View answer453. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department will coordinate the work of DEIS Plus schools with agencies such as Tusla, TESS, NEPS, the NCSE and the School Completion Programme, while ensuring that DEIS Plus funding remains school and pupil centred. [63089/25]
View answer454. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department will measure the impact of the DEIS Plus programme on educational outcomes, attendance, and wellbeing in participating schools. [63090/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 448, 449, 450, 452, 453 and 454 together.
Tackling educational disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027, to support the implementation of the new DEIS Strategy and introduce the DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence in 2026.
To inform the development of the DEIS Plus scheme, a design advisory group was established including school principals, Home School Community Liaison officers, and School Completion Programme coordinators - professionals who work directly with children experiencing high levels of disadvantage.
The DEIS Plus scheme will provide additional support to schools with the highest levels of need, in line with the Government’s commitment. It will target a cohort of schools with high concentrations of children and young people experiencing intergenerational disadvantage where there is a significant gap in outcomes and there are barriers to those children and young people achieving their potential.
Schools will not be required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme. The process will be evidence-informed, using available data. The details of the DEIS Plus scheme are currently being finalised within an overall programme of work to tackle educational disadvantage and will be outlined in the new DEIS Strategy, which will be published before the end of the year. Future allocation of overall resources will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy and the availability of resources.
