Written Answers Nos. 434-463
434. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools and students that will be included in the pilot programme (RACE accommodations) for students with dyslexia and dyscalculia for the upcoming 2026 examinations; and if she will roll this out to all eligible students across the State in the interest of fairness and equity for the 2026 examinations. [65950/25]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to developing an appropriate mechanism to allow additional time for students with specific needs and in certain circumstances, and also to ensure that those who use assistive technology can do so in State examinations.
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates access to the examinations through its scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, otherwise known as the RACE scheme. The SEC has confirmed that, within the context of the comprehensive review that is underway, it is working on a scheme of additional time which will be piloted for the 2026 examinations.
Appropriate eligibility criteria for the scheme are being currently worked out. The SEC confirmed that the scheme will be available in 2026, and for all candidates nationally who meet the eligibility criteria. These criteria will be needs-based rather than diagnosis-based, as is the case for all other accommodations. This information has been confirmed in the RACE Instructions for Schools 2026 issued in October. The details of the additional time scheme will be confirmed at a later date, and candidates and schools are encouraged to apply as normal for accommodations under the RACE scheme.
In view of this, I have asked the SEC to respond directly to you with further detail about the RACE scheme and the ongoing review.
435. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will instruct her Department to ensure that the child in question is provided with necessary supports. [65969/25]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education and Youth on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.
Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
Bus Éireann have advised that there is no current service that can accommodate this pupil’s wheelchair. The current service this pupil is on is a minibus and the contractor has advised they have no wheelchair bus available.
In such circumstances where there is no existing suitable service available to meet a child's needs, and while Bus Éireann are in the process of establishing the service for the child referred, the Department will offer an Interim Special Transport Grant (STG) to families of eligible children towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This is based on the number of days attended from the date of application until a suitable service becomes available. The family of the child referred to has been contacted in relation to an interim STG.
436. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for the delay in issuing payment to a person (details supplied) under the home-based summer programme; when payment can be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65984/25]
View answerDetails of the 2025 Summer Programme were published on the 13th of February 2025. For this year’s programme, funding of €62 million was secured in Budget 2025. The level of funding this year represents a 55% increase on the funding previously provided and all of this funding will be utilised to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.
All schools have an opportunity to run a programme for those children who need it the most. These children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.
The main priority again in 2025 is ensuring that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.
Where a school is not running a Summer Programme or a place on a school-based programme is unavailable, the Home-based programme is available for pupils with complex special educational needs.
The Department’s ultimate goal remains to ensure that every child with special educational needs continues to be supported both in school and on the Summer Programme. The Summer Programme plays a vital role in achieving this and we are committed to expanding the programme’s reach and impact each year so that every child can benefit.
In relation to the claims referred to by the Deputy, I understand that they have been processed in line with the terms of the scheme and payment should issue in the next available pay date which is 4th December 2025.
The Department wishes to sincerely thank teachers and SNAs who participate in the Summer Programme.
437. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will formalise sun safety in the primary and post-primary school curricula, to integrate age-appropriate sun smart education (HSE2025), thereby enabling children to develop healthy habits from a young age. [65986/25]
View answer438. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will introduce the HSE’s sun smart school toolkit into the national curriculum for social, personal, and health education. [65987/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 438 together.
Schools have a role to play in supporting their students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices in different aspects of their lives. This is mainly done through the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which is a mandatory part of the Primary and Junior Cycle curriculum. The SPHE specification provides vital opportunities for the development of children’s wellbeing in the physical, social, emotional and intellectual domains.
As part of the redevelopment of SPHE/RSE curricula, in line with the Programme for Government, an updated Primary Wellbeing specification, which encompasses SPHE and PE, is being introduced into schools in the current school year. The learning outcomes of the Health Education strand include that children should be able to ‘demonstrate an awareness of how to nurture their wellbeing by considering positive choices in areas such as food, hygiene, sleep, rest, and meaningful physical activity’ and ‘to demonstrate knowledge of the importance of seeking permission and following safety rules when dealing with substances and medicines'.
Following an extensive period of consultation, an updated specification for Junior Cycle was introduced in schools for all first years in September 2023. The ‘Making Healthy Choices’ strand of the specifications includes among its learning outcomes that students should be able to ‘consider the multifaceted nature of health and wellbeing, and evaluate what being healthy might look like for different adolescents, including how food, physical activity, sleep/rest and hygiene contribute to health and wellbeing’, and to ‘demonstrate skills and strategies to help make informed choices that support health and wellbeing and apply them in real-life situations’.
An updated Senior Cycle specification was approved and published in September 2024. Schools have until September 2027 to introduce the specification for students entering fifth year of the Leaving Certificate Established programme, to accommodate the necessary planning and preparatory work. The learning outcomes of the ‘Health and Wellbeing’ strand of the specification include that students should be able to ‘explore the determinants of good health’ and to ‘investigate ways a person can influence their holistic health, including physical activity, food, sleep, social connections, positive self-image and connecting with nature, and discuss how these are related’.
A suite of resources have been developed to support teaching the updated Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum. One of these resources, HSE's Making Healthy Choices Unit 2, specifically includes SunSmart activities and directly addresses the topic of how young people can protect against the risk of skin cancer.
Resources to support the new Senior Cycle SPHE curriculum are currently under development. Within one of these resources (Health and Wellbeing 6) there will be a lesson linked a learning outcome which indicates that students should be able to consider strategies for self-care that can help maintain health and prevent ill-health. This will provide an opportunity to highlight the importance of sun protection and the risks associated with sun-bed use.
Decisions on which programmes and initiatives, if any, schools participate in are taken at school level.
It is important to stress that only the Stay Safe Programme in primary school and the use of its resources is mandatory and must be taught. Outside of that, each resource is considered in respect to the particular needs and interests of children, their parents, the wider school community, and the school’s SPHE and RSE policies. Ultimately, it is the school’s decision whether particular resources are used.
Decisions around textbooks and other teaching and learning resources are made at whole-school level to suit the specific context of the school and the needs of the children within the class / school. The curriculum enables teachers to be autonomous in these decisions and as such is not prescriptive in the ways that schools approach the delivery of the curriculum.
439. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of former secretary general’s, retired civil servants, directors of service, retired city/county managers or those of a similar grade in her Department that have subsequently served on State boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65997/25]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy in regard to the bodies under the aegis of my Department is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
440. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the review of out-of-school education; the current status of the revision report; when it is expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66022/25]
View answerIn May 2022, my department announced the publication of a report on the Review of Out-of-School Education Provision. This review focused on the education provision for learners under 16 years of age who have encountered difficulties staying in mainstream education.
Arising from that review, a number of recommendations were made to inform future policy and provide a sustainable option within the education system to further serve this group of learners.
In October 2022, an implementation group was established to progress the recommendations contained in that report and to develop a standardised framework of support for young people at risk of disengaging from education.
In addition to officials from my department, membership of the group included the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), National Association of Principals & Deputy Principals (NAPD), Children’s Rights Alliance (CRA), Tusla Education Support Services (TESS), Jigsaw, Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science (DFHERIS), Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), the National Parents Council (NPC), Department of Justice and the Irish Second Level Students Union (ISSU). The group was chaired by Dr Jacinta Stewart.
The implementation group consulted widely with a range of stakeholders, agencies, and other interested parties including children and young people, parents, school leaders and practitioners from out-of-school education provision.
The implementation group has now completed its work and I expect to receive a copy of the report very shortly. In addition, my department is currently developing an implementation plan to ensure that all children and young people will be supported throughout their education and provided with an opportunity to achieve success and reach their full potential.
441. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to provide a school place for a child (details supplied), who has not attended school since 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66035/25]
View answerThe 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.
As your query refers to an individual placement, my department will forward the parent’s details to the NCSE and the NCSE will contact the parents directly.
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.
442. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of the number of schools, per county, that were approved under the muti-annual summer works scheme for the years 2022 to 2025 to date, respectively, in tabular form. [66049/25]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, in November 2025 the Minister announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works. The investment in the first tranche of applications is in the region of €90m.
Under this scheme, approved applications from schools that were not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.
Full details of the Climate Action Works Scheme including details of the first tranche of approvals can be found at [gov.ie - Summer Works Scheme] (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/).
Under the previous SWS 2020, the last tranche of SWS 2020 approvals were announced in 2022.
|
County |
2022 |
2025 |
|
Carlow |
2 |
5 |
|
Cavan |
16 |
7 |
|
Clare |
19 |
9 |
|
Cork |
69 |
35 |
|
Donegal |
22 |
24 |
|
Dublin |
84 |
49 |
|
Galway |
32 |
20 |
|
Kerry |
24 |
20 |
|
Kildare |
11 |
5 |
|
Kilkenny |
7 |
5 |
|
Laois |
4 |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
6 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
24 |
10 |
|
Longford |
8 |
3 |
|
Louth |
10 |
4 |
|
Mayo |
26 |
15 |
|
Meath |
11 |
10 |
|
Monaghan |
13 |
3 |
|
Offaly |
7 |
5 |
|
Roscommon |
11 |
8 |
|
Sligo |
14 |
5 |
|
Tipperary |
23 |
12 |
|
Waterford |
18 |
6 |
|
Westmeath |
9 |
3 |
|
Wexford |
16 |
7 |
|
Wicklow |
13 |
6 |
Under the most recent tranche of approvals 99 remaining projects from the previous Summer Works Scheme were also approved, which facilitates the closing out of this multi-annual scheme
443. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of the funding allocated to schools under the summer works scheme on a county-by-county basis, for the year 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively, in tabular form. [66050/25]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis for categories of works such as roof works, window replacement, mechanical and electrical works, external works etc..a
Since 2020 my department has provided funding to the value of over €200m under the SWS to schools. The below table sets out the funding provided under the SWS for the years 2020 to date as per the Deputy's request:
|
County |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
Sep-25 |
Total Spend |
|
Carlow |
84,158 |
137,977 |
140,056 |
87,653 |
907,476 |
165,987.00 |
1,523,307 |
|
Cavan |
333,439 |
988,340 |
1,728,635 |
691,668 |
154,575 |
- |
3,896,657 |
|
Clare |
1,541,796 |
1,246,604 |
1,104,319 |
471,877 |
336,253 |
454,428.00 |
5,155,277 |
|
Cork |
4,573,742 |
4,183,142 |
5,495,189 |
6,464,914 |
1,810,441 |
3,723,209.00 |
26,250,637 |
|
Donegal |
847,972 |
733,014 |
1,761,250 |
934,760 |
121,330 |
- |
4,398,326 |
|
Dublin |
6,261,874 |
11,232,864 |
18,124,491 |
7,381,527 |
4,503,100 |
3,485,966.00 |
50,989,822 |
|
Galway |
1,614,058 |
2,113,659 |
1,559,949 |
1,437,336 |
255,903 |
622,215.00 |
7,603,120 |
|
Kerry |
966,139 |
1,246,832 |
3,490,391 |
1,853,104 |
307,694 |
13,029.00 |
7,877,189 |
|
Kildare |
743,660 |
1,227,728 |
1,613,371 |
1,398,009 |
819,623 |
292,388.00 |
6,094,779 |
|
Kilkenny |
401,020 |
669,478 |
587,085 |
1,027,853 |
109,153 |
- |
2,794,589 |
|
Laois |
365,426 |
207,121 |
305,585 |
175,644 |
62,996 |
- |
1,116,772 |
|
Leitrim |
119,363 |
182,429 |
785,236 |
191,109 |
10,929 |
- |
1,289,066 |
|
Limerick |
308,334 |
844,531 |
2,234,644 |
1,095,517 |
887,377 |
1,794,046.00 |
7,164,449 |
|
Longford |
174,286 |
906,383 |
2,107,843 |
203,545 |
878,622 |
118,872.00 |
4,389,551 |
|
Louth |
1,005,327 |
284,691 |
1,155,462 |
6,767,866 |
1,014,844 |
- |
10,228,190 |
|
Mayo |
1,227,797 |
868,474 |
867,232 |
1,614,026 |
272,560 |
1,024,293.00 |
5,874,382 |
|
Meath |
666,669 |
628,227 |
1,018,618 |
2,620,882 |
80,670 |
318,106.00 |
5,333,172 |
|
Monaghan |
1,033,891 |
252,596 |
1,435,580 |
3,437,276 |
663,176 |
- |
6,822,519 |
|
Offaly |
142,657 |
410,293 |
619,132 |
182,782 |
266,415 |
- |
1,621,279 |
|
Roscommon |
436,711 |
209,709 |
841,661 |
1,202,882 |
45,618 |
111,315.00 |
2,847,896 |
|
Sligo |
271,046 |
521,356 |
833,111 |
1,143,959 |
278,450 |
1,421,513.00 |
4,469,435 |
|
Tipperary |
2,031,646 |
1,274,855 |
3,047,233 |
2,333,166 |
423,031 |
159,806.00 |
9,269,737 |
|
Waterford |
1,700,188 |
419,008 |
2,212,738 |
1,478,574 |
405,214 |
280,647.00 |
6,496,369 |
|
Westmeath |
524,151 |
966,003 |
709,448 |
114,973 |
939,733 |
3,799.00 |
3,258,107 |
|
Wexford |
1,395,432 |
2,092,513 |
1,376,181 |
435,813 |
2,690,142 |
322,408.00 |
8,312,489 |
|
Wicklow |
790,714 |
747,478 |
815,667 |
1,215,242 |
2,646,240 |
435,723.00 |
6,651,064 |
|
Total |
29,561,495 |
34,595,306 |
55,970,104 |
45,961,955 |
20,891,565 |
14,747,750 |
201,728,175 |
In November 2025 the Minister announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works. The investment in the first tranche of applications is in the region of €90m.
Under this scheme, approved applications from schools that were not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.
Full details of the Climate Action Works Scheme including details of the first tranche of approvals can be found at [gov.ie - Summer Works Scheme]
The funding of €90m recently announced is directed towards 297 projects. in the region of €30m of that funding is directed towards the refurbishment of science labs to support the curricular redevelopment programme. The 297 projects will now progress towards an open tendering process, for this reason providing details of funding per county at this stage could impede the tendering process and cannot be released.
444. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of categories that schools were approved funding for under the summer works scheme, on a county-by-county basis, for the years 2023, 2024 and 2025 respectively, in tabular form. [66051/25]
View answerIn November 2025 the Minister announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works. The investment in the first tranche of applications is in the region of €90m.
Under this scheme, approved applications from schools that were not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.
Full details of the Climate Action Works Scheme including details of the first tranche of approvals can be found at [gov.ie - Summer Works Scheme]
The last tranche of approvals under the previous Summer Works Scheme were announced in 2022. Please see below breakdown of categories that schools were approved funding for under the climate action summer works scheme 2026, on a county-by-county basis.
|
County |
CASWS Cat 1 Climate Action |
CASWS Cat 2 Climate Action & Roof Works |
CASWS Cat 3 Climate Action & Electrical Works |
CASWS Cat 4 Climate Action & Mechanical Works |
CASWS Cat 5 Climate Action & Science Labs |
CASWS Cat 6 Climate Action & Toilet Facilities |
CASWS Cat 7 Climate Action & Window Projects |
CASWS Cat 8 Climate Action & Curricular Requirements |
CASWS Cat 9 Climate Action & Fabric Defects |
CASWS Cat 10 Climate Action & External Environments |
SWS Cat 8 Curricular Requirement |
SWS Cat 9 Fabric Defects |
SWS Cat 10 External Environment |
|
Carlow |
2 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Cavan |
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
Clare |
|
2 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
Cork |
4 |
3 |
|
|
10 |
|
3 |
1 |
7 |
|
|
2 |
5 |
|
Donegal |
3 |
2 |
|
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
4 |
|
4 |
6 |
4 |
|
Dublin |
3 |
8 |
|
3 |
17 |
|
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
4 |
9 |
4 |
|
Galway |
8 |
3 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
1 |
2 |
|
|
Kerry |
3 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
|
|
2 |
3 |
|
1 |
1 |
5 |
|
Kildare |
|
2 |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
Kilkenny |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
1 |
|
Laois |
2 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
|
Leitrim |
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Limerick |
|
1 |
|
1 |
3 |
|
1 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Longford |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
Louth |
1 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Mayo |
2 |
1 |
|
|
4 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
3 |
3 |
|
Meath |
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Monaghan |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
Offaly |
3 |
1 |
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Roscommon |
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
2 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
1 |
|
|
2 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
2 |
|
|
Tipperary |
2 |
1 |
1 |
|
3 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
Waterford |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
2 |
2 |
|
Wicklow |
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
445. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to multiple applications made by a school (details supplied) under the emergency works scheme; the actions she will take to ensure these applications are progressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66057/25]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies, or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for pupils with special needs. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.
An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening.
The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation. The EWS is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) which deals with upgrade works to the school.
The school in question have submitted a number of EWS applications all of which are different stages and outlined below:
#4898: Cat:2 Roof Works: The application in question is currently being reviewed by the technical area within the EWS. Once a technical recommendation has been received back from the technical team, the EWS team will engage further with the school as appropriate.
#5339: Cat1: Life Safety Systems: School were advised in May 2025, to submit further documentation. Once this has been received the EWS team will review the revised application and will engage further with the school as appropriate.
#5380: Cat1: Life Safety Systems: Application has been approved. Project currently with school to progress further.
#5474: Cat9: Fabric Defects: The application in question is currently being reviewed by the technical area within the EWS. Once a technical recommendation has been received back from the technical team, the EWS team will engage further with the school as appropriate.
In all cases the EWS team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
446. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount her Department and any body under her aegis have spent on the services of a company (details supplied), by year and organisation in the years 2020 to 1 November 2025, in tabular form. [66076/25]
View answerThe Association of Translators and Interpreters Ireland is a professional association representing the interests of practising translators and interpreters in Ireland. My department has engaged the services of some of the listed translators that they represent. A breakdown of spend these individual translators is not presently available but will be shared with the Deputy this once it is compiled.
The most recent aggregate figures available for total expenditure on Irish language translations services for all service providers to the Department of Education and Youth is detailed in the following table.
|
Year |
Amount |
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2020 |
€271,472.09 |
|
2021 |
€297,005.59 |
|
2022 |
€238,400.81 |
|
2023 |
€225,953.68 |
|
2024 |
€226,225.50 |
|
2025 |
€87,153.66 (as of 14 May 2025) |
447. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount her Department and any body under her aegis have spent on the services of a company (details supplied), by year and organisation in the years 2020 to 1 November 2025, in tabular form. [66094/25]
View answerWhile the department has used translations.com for Irish translation services, among other service providers, details of spend with this particular provider are not currently available. A breakdown of spend with translations.com will be shared with the Deputy this once it is compiled.
The most recent aggregate figures available for total expenditure on Irish language translations services for all service providers to the Department of Education and Youth is detailed in the following table.
|
Year |
Amount |
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2020 |
€271,472.09 |
|
2021 |
€297,005.59 |
|
2022 |
€238,400.81 |
|
2023 |
€225,953.68 |
|
2024 |
€226,225.50 |
|
2025 |
€87,153.66 (as of 14 May 2025) |
448. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 465 of 17 September 2025, for an updated table accounting of the recent funding announcement under the climate action summer works scheme (details supplied), by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66155/25]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, in November 2025 the Minister announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works. The investment in the first tranche of applications is in the region of €90m.
Under this scheme, approved applications from schools that were not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years. It is anticipated that the next tranche of approvals will be announced in the latter half of 2026.
Full details of the Climate Action Works Scheme including details of the first tranche of approvals can be found at [gov.ie - Summer Works Scheme]. Please see breakdown by county below.
|
County |
No of Projects |
|
Carlow |
5 |
|
Cavan |
8 |
|
Clare |
9 |
|
Cork |
35 |
|
Donegal |
26 |
|
Dublin |
53 |
|
Galway |
20 |
|
Kerry |
20 |
|
Kildare |
5 |
|
Kilkenny |
5 |
|
Laois |
5 |
|
Leitrim |
2 |
|
Limerick |
10 |
|
Longford |
3 |
|
Louth |
4 |
|
Mayo |
16 |
|
Meath |
10 |
|
Monaghan |
3 |
|
Offaly |
5 |
|
Roscommon |
8 |
|
Sligo |
7 |
|
Tipperary |
14 |
|
Waterford |
7 |
|
Westmeath |
3 |
|
Wexford |
8 |
|
Wicklow |
6 |
449. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address the concerns of parents who have so far failed to secure infant places in their local village school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66157/25]
View answerThe 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 is an absolute priority of mine.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €382 million in school infrastructure across County Kildare. The department is continually planning for and investing in existing and new schools to ensure that every child in the State has access to a school place.
As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications
• School of choice
• Single sex schools
• External draw
Notwithstanding the above, in some areas demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.
My department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
I want to assure the Deputy that my department will continue to keep the school place requirements in Prosperous_Clane school planning area, as with others across the country, under review.
450. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide funding to carryout significant improvement works to the older schools in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66161/25]
View answerThe purpose of the Summer Works Scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. Under the terms of the scheme, school authorities are empowered to manage these works with guidance from and minimal interaction with the Department of Education.
Since 2020 in the region of €8m has been invested in summer works schemes in Kerry.
As the Deputy may be aware, In November 2025 the Minister announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works. The investment in the first tranche of applications is in the region of €90m.
Given that funding is limited in any particular year it is necessary to prioritise applications. Under the new climate action summer works scheme which operates on a multi annual basis , like previous summer works schemes, applications from schools that were not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in the first tranche of approvals will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.
In the latest tranche of approvals 20 Schools in Kerry were approved across a number of categories of works.
Full details of the Climate Action Works Scheme including details of the first tranche of approvals can be found at [gov.ie - Summer Works Scheme]. (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/).
451. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s procedures for ensuring that all primary and post-primary schools provide a clear opt-out process for parents who do not consent to elements of the Bí Cineálta policy or associated materials; and the direction issued to schools on the administrative arrangements for accommodating such pupils. [66186/25]
View answer452. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the statutory basis on which her Department requires schools to implement the Bí Cineálta anti-bullying policy on a whole-school basis; and her Department’s assessment of whether such implementation is compatible with parental rights under the Education Act and the Constitution. [66187/25]
View answer453. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures by which her Department has assessed the Bí Cineálta policy against recent safeguarding evidence reviews, including the Cass Review and the HSS report; and the steps being taken to ensure full compliance with national child-protection obligations in all schools. [66188/25]
View answer454. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific guidance issued by her Department to schools regarding the treatment of pupils whose parents do not consent to elements of anti-bullying policies or SPHE-related content; and her Department’s instructions on ensuring equal access to the curriculum for such pupils. [66189/25]
View answer455. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list all external organisations whose materials or programmes are included in, endorsed by, or linked to the Bí Cineálta policy; the vetting process undertaken by the Department before including such organisations; and the criteria used to evaluate the safeguarding suitability of associated materials. [66190/25]
View answer456. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the training provided by her Department and Oide to school leaders and staff on the implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy; the extent to which this training addresses safeguarding concerns raised in recent evidence reviews; and the means by which schools are instructed to handle parental opt-out requests. [66191/25]
View answer457. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s monitoring arrangements for ensuring compliance with statutory safeguarding obligations during the implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy; and the number of compliance checks undertaken in 2024 and 2025. [66192/25]
View answer458. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements schools are required to put in place during Anti-Bullying Week for pupils whose parents do not consent to participation in activities or materials associated with the Bí Cineálta policy; and her Department’s guidance on how schools should plan and record such arrangements. [66193/25]
View answer459. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether an equality-impact assessment has been carried out on her Department’s implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy; and whether safeguards are in place to ensure that children whose parents do not consent to specific elements are not disadvantaged or labelled inappropriately. [66194/25]
View answer460. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the means by which her Department has ensured that the implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy respects parental rights under Articles 41 and 42 of the Constitution; and whether her Department has issued guidance to schools on avoiding conflicts between parental rights and Department-mandated programmes. [66195/25]
View answer461. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department intends to review the Bí Cineálta policy in light of recent clinical and safeguarding evidence; the timeline for such a review; and whether stakeholder consultations with parents will form part of that process. [66196/25]
View answer462. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to set out the guidance issued to Boards of Management regarding handling parental objections to the Bí Cineálta policy; and her Department’s instructions to boards on decision-making where there is a conflict between Department policy and parental consent. [66197/25]
View answer463. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way her Department has assessed the impact of recent directives, including Bí Cineálta, on the operational autonomy of schools and Boards of Management; and her Department’s position on ensuring that schools retain the ability to address local safeguarding concerns. [66198/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 451, 452, 453, 454, 455, 456, 457, 458, 459, 460, 461, 462 and 463 together.
Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying was published on 1st December 2022. Cineáltas is my department’s whole-education approach to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour in schools.
Cineáltas is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying behaviour including cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools. It is centred on a child rights-based approach and provides a collective vision and clear roadmap for how the whole education community and society can work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour in our schools.
Cineáltas incorporates each of the nine components of UNESCO’s Whole Education Approach to prevent and address bullying behaviour. It is rooted in four key principles: prevention, support, oversight and community. Implementation of Cineáltas is well advanced. The first annual implementation report was published on 02 July 2025.
One of the more significant actions under Cineáltas is to update the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. This action has been completed with the publication, on 19 June 2024, of Bí Cineálta: Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. These updated procedures were developed in collaboration with the education partners, including the National Parents Council, and are heavily informed by the views of children and young people, parents, school staff, Board of Management members and the wider education community.
The Bí Cineálta procedures are centred on a child rights-based approach and support a partnership approach where all members of the school community work together to prevent and address bullying behaviour. The procedures have been updated to take account of gender identity bullying, cyberbullying, racist bullying, sexist bullying, and sexual harassment. They support schools to develop clear strategies to prevent and address these bullying behaviours. The Bí Cineálta procedures are being implemented in all schools since the beginning of the 2025/2026 school year.
Implementation of the procedures was supported by a suite of professional learning resources and information sessions for school staff, Board of Management members and parents.
In relation to Wellbeing at primary level, the redeveloped Wellbeing Curriculum, which includes the subjects of PE and SPHE was published on 22 September 2025. Alignment with the Bí Cineálta procedures was a key consideration throughout the development process.
The 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.
New areas of learning include consent, diversity in family structures, media and digital wellbeing, as well as a renewed emphasis on emotional and relational learning.
It is recognised that the development of children’s wellbeing goes beyond any specific curriculum area and is also shaped by a variety of other influences within the broader community and society.
At post-primary level, the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum strives to foster an understanding and appreciation of all children and young people. Through the curriculum objectives, our children and young people are supported to develop self-confidence and a positive sense of self, and to appreciate and respect the human and cultural diversity that exists in society. To this end, the curriculum aims to foster in learners a sense of care and respect for themselves and others and an appreciation of the dignity of every human being.
The updated Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum, which was rolled out for first years in all schools from September 2023, includes three learning objectives that focus on gender. Through these learning outcomes, students should be able to:
• Recognise the factors and influences that shape young people’s self-identity, such as family, peers, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnic background, dis/abilities, religious beliefs/world-views.
• Reflect on gender equity and how gender stereotypes impact on expectations, behaviour and relationships.
• Appreciate the breadth of what constitutes human sexuality, and how sexual orientation and gender identity are experienced and expressed in many ways.
An updated Senior Cycle specification was approved and published in September 2024. Post-primary schools have until September 2027 to introduce the specification for students entering fifth year of the Leaving Certificate Established programme. In Senior Cycle SPHE, students should be able to examine how both positive and harmful attitudes around gender are perpetuated in the media, online, and in society and discuss strategies for challenging and changing harmful attitudes and narratives.
My department takes child protection matters very seriously and considers the protection and welfare of children to be a fundamental responsibility of all involved in the care and education of children.
My department has robust oversight measures in place which provide direction and guidance to school authorities to deal with child protection concerns. These are set out in the updated Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 which were published in May. The obligations and responsibilities have been taken very seriously by our schools since their implementation and there is a very strong culture of child protection across the school sector.
During the period in question, 3,103 school evaluations included checks on schools’ compliance with anti-bullying requirements. From January 2024 to August 2025, these checks related to the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. Over this period, compliance levels were high, with 97.2% (n = 2,435) found to be compliant and 2.8% (n = 70) identified as non-compliant.
From the beginning of the current school year, in September 2025, the focus of these checks shifted to the implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy, which replaced the 2013 Procedures. Since September 2025, compliance has remained strong, with 96.3% (n = 576) of evaluations found to be compliant and 3.6% (n = 22) non-compliant.
These results indicate consistently high levels of compliance with safeguarding and anti-bullying obligations, both under the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures and, more recently, under the Bí Cineálta policy.
Under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, all schools are required to have in place a code of behaviour that accords with Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools as published by the Educational Welfare Service. Each school is required to have an anti-bullying policy within its overall code of behaviour. The anti-bullying procedures are underpinned by this legal framework and all schools are required to comply with them. Accordingly, it is not possible for a school to opt out of having an anti-bullying policy.
A school may have a formal complaints process in which case this should be followed in pursuing any complaint. Where a person is of the view that a school's Board of Management has failed to investigate or adequately investigate their complaint, it is open to them to raise the matter directly with the Chairperson of the Board of Management.
