Written Answers Nos. 421-440
422. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to ensure that transition year students have a more focused approach to ensure that apprenticeship type placements are encouraged more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69805/25]
View answerIn March 2022, an ambitious programme of Senior Cycle Redevelopment was announced to deliver “equity and excellence for all” and to empower students to meet the challenges of the 21st century with a focus on the development of key competencies.
Senior Cycle Redevelopment aims to develop a more integrated Senior Cycle where every student is supported in accessing and exploring different academic, learning and potential career pathways. By striving for this more integrated experience, Senior Cycle Redevelopment will ensure that all learning pathways in school are accessible and equally valued.
As part of the redevelopment of Senior Cycle programme, a new Transition Year Programme Statement (https://curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/5849acbf-0326-487a-beec-3db6b5878470/TY-Programme-Statement-ENG-INT.pdf), was published in September 2024, which provides schools with a framework for developing their own bespoke Transition Year programmes. The Programme Statement guides schools in developing innovative programmes that facilitate students to explore diverse future pathways, gain first-hand workplace experience, and develop career-related competencies so they can identify the links between education and career opportunities. This is inclusive of apprenticeships.
The Programme Statement sets out four Student Dimensions as the core foundations upon which Transition Year programmes should be designed including one centred on career development.
In the Career Development dimension, students explore diverse future pathways in a guided and coordinated manner, gaining first-hand workplace experience, and developing career-related competencies. This includes awareness and encouragement into many career avenues, inclusive of apprenticeships. Students are encouraged to identify and review career-related goals more regularly by developing greater capacity to research and critically reflect upon career pathways.
Schools can also offer students specific micro modules during Transition Year. A micro-module is typically designed to provide a concentrated learning experience, within the parameters of the Transition Year Programme Statement, to enhance the educational experience of students. They can be designed and delivered as standalone components or designed to be integrated with other TY components. These could apply to apprenticeship aspects.
In January 2025, the NCCA, in collaboration with ETBI and SOLAS published the initial vocational education and training (iVET) module. This is a flexible module that gives students the opportunity to engage in interactive programmes and off-site learning through collaboration with industry and Further Education and Training (FET) providers during their Transition Year.
Alongside these developments, a model of Whole School Guidance (WSG) is provided in schools. WSG means that all school personnel (including but not limited to the guidance counsellors) have an important role and responsibility to support students with their personal, social, educational and career choices. Guidance encompasses the three separate, but interlinked areas of personal and social development, educational development and career development.
Through whole school guidance, students are provided with a range of learning experiences provided in developmental sequence by all school staff. On a very regular basis, and beginning in Junior Cycle, students are supported to develop self-management and career-development skills which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives. In December 2023, the then Minister for Education and then Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science published the National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance in Ireland (2024-2030) and accompanying Strategic Action Plan (2024-2030) marking a significant milestone for systems of guidance in Ireland.
My Department and I will continue to engage with all our education partners to ensure we deliver a redeveloped Senior Cycle that will significantly enrich the student experience, address academic and vocational pathways, and maintain the high-quality education system Ireland is well-known for.
423. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the appalling conditions that students and teachers must endure at a school (details supplied). [69806/25]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently completing Stage 2(b) of the architectural design process. Stage 2(b) involves detailed design, securing all Statutory Approvals and the preparation of tender documentation.
The brief for this major project is to provide a New Build Extension and Refurbishment of the existing Protected Structures to extend school capacity to 1,000 and to provide additional classrooms for Students with Special Educational Needs.
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, expected shortly. The 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.
I can confirm that a request to visit this school has been received by my office and is currently under consideration.
424. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeline for the establishment of the new ASD unit at a school (details supplied); when the physical unit might be in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69820/25]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question submitted an application under the department's Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2022 for replacement of prefabricated buildings.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or by available accommodation at other schools in the area.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that modular accommodation comprising 1 Special Education classroom, 2 Mainstream classrooms, 1 office and ancillary was delivered to the school in 2023. Furthermore due to the significant technical challenges identified in delivering accommodation to the school site project managers were appointed to the school in December 2023. The resulting viability report raised issues in relation to the decant of students while the proposed project was in train. Attempts to resolve this issue are ongoing.
The NCSE sanctioned a special class for the school in question in 2023 and to-date no further special education classes have been sanctioned. As indicated above a modular special education classroom was delivered to the school in 2023 for the sanctioned special class.
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.
In order to support the NCSE and forward planning the department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child.
This notification process will provide the NCSE with critical information on children who continue to need a special class as they progress to post-primary level as well as details on students who require a place for the first time. The NCSE will have a clear picture of the local demand for special class places for the 2026/2027 school year after they review and assess all of the information which has been provided through the parents' notification process which closed on 1 October.
Once this analysis is complete, the NCSE will be equipped to engage with schools to open new special classes in relevant areas.
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.
425. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the ongoing improvements being made by her Department to the school transport scheme to ensure a more streamlined school bus ticket allocation process for the school year 2026/2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69821/25]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth
Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at 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.
The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the scheme include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the best value for money to the Exchequer. It is proposed to expand access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030.
A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations began at the start of the 2024/2025 school year where the Department began testing the feasibility of a number of approaches through a series of pilot programmes; these pilot programmes are held in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann.
A total of 14 pilot projects are underway in the current school year. These pilots are being evaluated to provide valuable insights into the impact of increased demand on the scheme, the potential for integrating public transport with school transport services, and opportunities to promote more sustainable modes of transport.
Existing pilots are continuing for this school year. They are being monitored over the year and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025/2026 school year. The findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised School Transport Scheme.
Work is also underway to identify where further pilot programmes may be conducted. A number of approaches are being examined including the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS) to identify how many additional children would become eligible and where they are located. A digital mapping project of all existing school bus routes has been developed and there is ongoing collaboration with the Department of Transport, Bus Éireann and the National Transport Authority in regard to planned expansion of public transport routes to explore where integration may be possible.
E-ticketing is already being trialled in some of the pilot areas, and will be rolled out to all pilot areas for pupils on dedicated school transport shortly.
Additional funding is being provided in 2026 to further strengthen and enhance our School Transport Services, ensuring continued support for families, schools, and communities right across the country.
This funding will allow for further progress in the implementation of School Transport 2030, focusing particularly on vital technology improvements, including e-ticketing, which should enable smarter route planning and maximise seat utilisation further improving scheme efficiency and effectiveness.
Not only will eTicketing replace the current printed paper tickets, eTicketing should also provide accurate information on ticket utilisation, which is currently not readily available.
Implementation of the recommendations of the review will continue to be planned subject to resources being available to meet the increased demand.
426. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to minimise disruption to schools and families arising from school closures on days when elections are held on Fridays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69826/25]
View answer427. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will engage with the Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage to ensure that primary schools used as polling stations are not required to close on election days; if alternative venues such as community halls will be considered; if she will ensure that any lost school days are made up so that teaching time is protected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69848/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 427 together.
In relation to school closures due to elections, overall responsibility for the running of elections and arrangements in this regard is a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Returning Officers are statutorily responsible for the conduct of elections and may, under electoral law, use school premises for this purpose. Schools must, in accordance with electoral law, make their premises available for polling where requested by a Returning Officer. It is not open to the Minister for Education and Youth to unilaterally amend these provisions.
Individual school authorities are best placed to determine the measures to be put in place to make up for the closure.
428. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a new school building project (details supplied) has gone to tender; if the tender has been published on eTenders; the deadline for tender submissions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69921/25]
View answerThe large scale capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is the provision of a new 600 pupil school building including all associated ancillary accommodation.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project was authorised to proceed to tender on 12 November. Tender submissions are expected in January 2026, to allow for the Christmas holiday period, but may be subject to an extension if requested.
429. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider changing the DEIS status of a school (details supplied), from DEIS Rural to DEIS Band 1 status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69947/25]
View answerTackling education disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a key priority for the Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme is a key policy initiative of Government to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. It is a goal of this Government to reduce educational disadvantage and promote equity across Irish schools, focusing particularly on vulnerable groups including children from lower socio-economic backgrounds, children living in homelessness, Travellers, and Roma and migrant communities.
The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. Schools that were included in the most recent expansion of the programme in 2022 were those with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage as identified through the refined DEIS identification model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model was applied fairly and equally to all schools. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie.
Schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme based on their standardised disadvantage score. Schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage are included in the DEIS programme, with those urban primary schools having the very highest levels of disadvantage being assigned to Urban Band 1.
The Minister is committed to addressing the gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools. A new DEIS Strategy will be published in early 2026. This strategy will focus on improving the opportunities and achievement levels of children at risk of educational disadvantage, developing more innovative approaches to tackling education disadvantage, and working towards a more flexible system of supports to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time.
Any future expansion of the DEIS programme and overall allocation of resources will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy which will published in early 2026.
430. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will respond to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69983/25]
View answerThe purpose of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis that, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The CASWS operates on a multi-annual basis across a number of categories of works.
It is envisaged that approvals in any given year will involve a spread of categories rather than the traditional single category at a time. This is aimed at managing market capacity and maximising value for money opportunities for school authorities.
The CASWS will operate on a multi-annual basis. In November 2025, my colleague the former Minister of Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, 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.
My Department can confirm an application was received from the school in question however the school was not on the list of approvals in the first tranche. Given that funding is limited in any particular year it is necessary to prioritise applications. Under the new CASWS which operates on a multi annual basis, like previous summer works schemes, applications from schools that are 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.
An announcement on the CASWS approvals for the 2027 calendar year will be issued in due course.
Full details of the of the announcement and the list of schools approved in the first tranche, the Circular (0029/2025) for the scheme and guidance documents for schools can be found at the below link; www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/.
431. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update regarding the delay in progressing the construction of the long-awaited extension for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69984/25]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is a large scale capital project for the construction of a new extension and the refurbishment of existing facilities to accommodate 1,000 pupils, including provision for Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms.
More than four years has elapsed since the publication of the contract notice and more than two years since the tender submission deadline. Given the passage of time since tenders were returned and the unacceptably high risk that the contract may not successfully be delivered within budget, the ETB were instructed to collapse the tender procedure in July 2025.
My Department officials have engaged with the ETB and School Principal and have proposed to progress a phase 1 of this project through my Department’s timber modular framework which offers an extremely high quality finish and fast delivery.
The proposal relates to Phase 1 of the school extension, covering a gross internal floor area of 1,500 m² includes the superstructure and internal finishes containing additional accommodation for 204 pupils and 4 additional classrooms for pupils with Special Educational Needs with sufficient flexibility to cater for subsequent phases on the site.
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.
Government departments are currently in the process of publishing their sectoral NDP Implementation Plans. The sectoral plan for the Education and Youth sector will be published next week and the first tranche of projects to progress to construction will be published in January. This NDP Implementation 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.
432. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the proposed extension at a school (details supplied) remains on the priority build list for her Department beyond phase 1; if this will continue to remain a priority for her Department for full completion throughout 2026 and 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69985/25]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is a large scale capital project for the construction of a new extension and the refurbishment of existing facilities to accommodate 1,000 pupils, including provision for Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms.
More than four years has elapsed since the publication of the contract notice and more than two years since the tender submission deadline. Given the passage of time since tenders were returned and the unacceptably high risk that the contract may not successfully be delivered within budget, the ETB were instructed to collapse the tender procedure in July 2025.
My Department officials have engaged with the ETB and School Principal and have proposed to progress a phase 1 of this project through my Department’s timber modular framework which offers an extremely high quality finish and fast delivery.
The proposal relates to Phase 1 of the school extension, covering a gross internal floor area of 1,500 m² includes the superstructure and internal finishes containing additional accommodation for 204 pupils and 4 additional classrooms for pupils with Special Educational Needs with sufficient flexibility to cater for subsequent phases on the site.
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.
Government departments are currently in the process of publishing their sectoral NDP Implementation Plans. The sectoral plan for the Education and Youth sector will be published next week and the first tranche of projects to progress to construction will be published in January. This NDP Implementation 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.
433. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [69992/25]
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. 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.
In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE through the Parent Notify process that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child.
This notification process will provide the NCSE with critical information on children who continue to need a special class as they progress to post-primary level as well as details on students who require a place for the first time.
This year to facilitate earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year an earlier date of 1 October was set for parents to complete this process. It is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.
The NCSE is undertaking analysis of information provided through the Parents Notify process which closed on 1 October to plot demand for special class places for the 2026/27 school year. The NCSE will also consider vacant places in existing special classes and places that will become available through the regular transition of children from primary for post-primary schools. Once this analysis is completed the NCSE will be equipped to engage with schools to open new special classes in relevant areas.
I would like to stress that the NCSE will continue to support all children made known to them after the October deadline. However, it is critical that the NCSE has as much local information as possible as early as possible to effectively plan new provision.
434. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding a building extension for a school (details supplied); the issues that are holding up the extension; and how they are being addressed. [69993/25]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project will provide three general classrooms, a science room with preparation area, a construction room with preparation area, a home economics room, a graphic design laboratory, a music room, a project store, two SET rooms, ancillary accommodation, and a one-classroom SEN base.
The project was devolved to the Mayo Sligo Leitrim Education Training Board (MSLETB) for delivery.
The Department is awaiting the submission of the post-planning (Developed Design) report for review. Department officials engaged directly with the design team and MSLETB to address a planning-related query raised by MSLETB, and there are currently no outstanding queries with the Department.
The Department will continue to work closely with MSLETB to provide guidance and support on this project.
435. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether contributions from the State or from employers towards the My Future Fund pension scheme will be reckonable as income for the purposes of assessing the eligibility of an individual or household for any means-tested services or schemes operated by her Department. [70019/25]
View answerThere are no means tested schemes operated by my Department, therefore the question asked by the Deputy is not currently relevant.
The Deputy should be aware that The National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA) will administer the auto-enrolment scheme. Further details are available on www.gov.ie and MyFutureFund.ie.
436. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider allowing students with certain learning difficulties to use laptops with pre-loaded State examination papers to complete their Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations in 2026 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70033/25]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, including the scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations known as the RACE scheme. I have asked the SEC to respond directly to you in relation to your query.
437. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); when this matter will be dealt with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70054/25]
View answerRecognising the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities, Department officials have been working intensively with stakeholders, with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, to establish a platform for meaningful discussion and resolution.
I believe that all parties have a responsibility to make sure that these talks succeed and that both sides must come together with an open mind without preconditions or pre-conceived ideas of a final outcome.
My Department has been engaging with Fórsa over the past number of weeks under the auspices of the WRC. The matter has now been referred to the Labour Court, and a hearing will take place on 12 January 2026. The parties remain in process, and my Department remains committed and ready to engage with Fórsa to reach a resolution on this important matter. As with any industrial relations process the matters under discussion are confidential until this process concludes.
438. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to accommodate the expansion of schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70074/25]
View answerMy Department is in the process of evaluating the accommodation requirements for the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2026/27 academic year and is liaising with the school's Patron body in this regard.
Once complete, my Department will be in contact with the school, through its Patron Body, to advise in relation to same.
439. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that there will be urgent provision of laboratory capacity to facilitate secondary school students as a school expands (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70075/25]
View answerMy Department is in the process of evaluating the accommodation requirements for the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2026/27 academic year and is liaising with the school's Patron body in this regard.
Once complete, my Department will be in contact with the school, through its Patron Body, to advise in relation to same.
440. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the provision she has made for the addition of prefabricated buildings on a school site (details supplied) for the use, on a temporary basis, by another school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70076/25]
View answerMy Department is in the process of evaluating the accommodation requirements for the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2026/27 academic year and is liaising with the school's Patron body in this regard.
Once complete, my Department will be in contact with the school, through its Patron Body, to advise in relation to same.
