Michael Healy-Rae
Question:441. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70078/25]
View answerSpecial Educational Needs
Questions (441)
Written answers
The 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.
Departmental Projects
Questions (442)
Marie Sherlock
Question:442. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the expansion of the JCSP demonstration library project will be included in the new DEIS+ plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70099/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Programme for Government commits to expanding the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP) Library Project. The JCSP Demonstration Library Project was developed in 2002 under the Early Literacy Initiative. Within the Demonstration Library Project, there are 32 professional librarians employed by the CDETB who are based in 30 schools that work as part of a network to operate the library facility. They are managed by the Senior Librarian. Librarians are responsible, together with key school staff, for drawing up and implementing library strategies to tackle the literacy difficulties experienced by many JCSP students.
In this regard, my Department continues to work in partnership with the national library service. We are exploring ways to strengthening this partnership through the library service five-year strategy published in July 2023 and the Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024 to 2033. The strategy was launched in May 2024, and developed between my Department and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. The strategy is set across all stages of the learner's journey from early learning and care to post-primary school. It aims to promote the development of essential literacy, numeracy and digital literacy skills, knowledge, and dispositions with a particular focus on our learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The DEIS programme is a key policy initiative of Government to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. 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 €16.5 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.
A new DEIS Strategy, which will include a DEIS Plus scheme, will be published in Q1 2026. 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 where there are barriers to those children and young people achieving their potential.
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. Future allocation of overall resources will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy and the availability of resources.
School Facilities
Questions (443)
Mark Ward
Question:443. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a building project for a school (details supplied) will be included on her Departments priority list for full completion across 2026 and 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70101/25]
View answerWritten answers
The 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.
School Admissions
Questions (444, 445, 446)
Jen Cummins
Question:444. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applicants for autism classes in Dublin 8, Dublin 12, Dublin 6/6w for 2026 and 2027, in tabular form. [70116/25]
View answerJen Cummins
Question:445. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the demand for autism classes in Dublin 8, Dublin 12, Dublin 6/6w will be met for the academic year 2026-2027. [70117/25]
View answerJen Cummins
Question:446. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of existing spaces for autism classes in Dublin 8, Dublin 12, Dublin 6/6w. [70118/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 444, 445 and 446 together.
As the deputy is aware 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.
407 new special classes were sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2025/26 school year based on the information received via the Parents Notify process and other forward planning initiatives. 103 of these new classes are located in Dublin, 81 at primary and 22 at post-primary level. This brings to 705 the number of special classes currently in operation in the county. The location of these classes is published on the NCSE's website: https://ncse.ie/special-classes. There are also 42 special schools in Dublin with approximately 2,700 students enrolled. Two of the five new special schools for the 2025/26 school year have opened in Lucan and Belmayne also.
This additional capacity, together with the movement of children across existing classes, means that my department and NCSE ensured capacity exceeded the known demand verified by the Parent's Notify process by the deadline of February 2025.
The NCSE advise that a small number of specialist vacancies still exist within County Dublin for this school year. Any family seeking a placement is urged to contact the NCSE via the contact details available on the NCSE's website: https://ncse.ie/seno-contact-informationLocal special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to provide the location of these vacancies and advice as to the supports available to students with special educational needs.
For the 2026/27 school year the NCSE is undertaking analysis of information provided through the Parent's 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. It is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.
Question No. 445 answered with Question No. 444.
Question No. 446 answered with Question No. 444.
Departmental Funding
Questions (447, 448)
Barry Ward
Question:447. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the rollout of free solar panels for schools; if private schools are being considered for inclusion under future funding rounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70141/25]
View answerBarry Ward
Question:448. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding her plans to ensure that all schools will have solar panels; if there is a timeline for the completion of this target; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70142/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 447 and 448 together.
The Schools PV Programme provides eligible schools with up to 6 kilowatts peak of roof-mounted solar photovoltaic (PV) installations on their roofs, which equates to approximately 14 solar panels.
The Schools PV Programme is funded by the Government’s Climate Action Fund in line with the Government’s recognition that taking action on climate change is central to Ireland’s social and economic development. It is assisting schools in reducing their energy costs and carbon footprint as part of the response to meeting the 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Plan targets for the schools’ sector.
The overall programme will see up to 24 megawatts of installed renewable energy provision on schools with associated savings in the region of €5.5 million per year across 4,000 schools.
The installation of solar PV panels schools directly assists schools to reduce their carbon emissions and energy costs, while also educating pupils and the wider school community about the benefits of solar technology.
Since the launch of the programme in November 2023,
• 85% of schools (3,300 schools) have progressed to tender stage,
• with 93% of those (3,072 schools) so far approved for funding.
• To date, 72% of schools who progressed to tender stage (2,378) have so far confirmed their installations as complete.
The Department’s overall approach in relation to projects delivered under the school building programme is to focus on the needs of primary and post primary schools in the Free Scheme. This approach reflects the fact that fee-charging schools have an additional source of income that is not available to schools in the Free Education Scheme.
There are no plans to extend this scheme to fee charging schools.
All eligible schools have now been invited to participate in the scheme. It is anticipated that the programme will be completed by 2026.
Question No. 448 answered with Question No. 447.
School Admissions
Questions (449, 450)
Naoise Ó Cearúil
Question:449. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of ASD class places available in primary schools in an area (details supplied) for the 2025-2026 academic year; the projected demand for these places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70191/25]
View answerNaoise Ó Cearúil
Question:450. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth if priority is given to children residing in an area (details supplied) when allocating ASD class places in that areas primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70192/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 450 together.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an admissions policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
Under the provisions of this act, all schools are required to have admissions policies which have been approved by the patron following consultation with staff and parents of students who are attending the school. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.
Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will 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. Nonetheless it may result in some students not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
As the deputy is aware 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.
407 new special classes were sanctioned by the NCSE for the 2025/26 school year based on the information received via the Parents Notify process and other forward planning initiatives. 17 of these new classes are located in County Kildare, 14 at primary and 3 at post-primary level. This brings to 148 the number of special classes currently in operation in the county. There are also 6 special schools in Kildare with approximately 360 students enrolled. One of these special schools was recently established to provide supports to students in the wider South Kildare area. This school is under the patronage of Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (ETB) and is expected to grow over time to support more students in the local area.
In addition, Budget 2026 has provided funding for 3,000 new special educational places within our education system and the NCSE is currently examining where this provision is best placed for the 2026/27 school year.
The NCSE advise that a small number of specialist vacancies still exist within County Kildare for this school year. Any family seeking a placement is urged to contact the NCSE via the contact details available on the NCSE's website: https://ncse.ie/seno-contact-information. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to provide the location of these vacancies and advice as to the supports available to students with special educational needs.
Question No. 450 answered with Question No. 449.
School Admissions
Questions (451)
Naoise Ó Cearúil
Question:451. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s plans to ensure continuity of education for children with ASD from primary to secondary level within their local community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70193/25]
View answerWritten answers
Most post-primary schools support the transition of primary school students from sixth class. Typically, sixth class students are provided with an opportunity to visit the post-primary school and to meet some of the post-primary teachers. In the case of students with special educational needs, including autistic students, additional efforts are made to ensure their familiarity with the school, their new class and their teachers.
Demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates. To support forward planning my department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes.
In October 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting that each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of students progressing from primary school. Last year my department issued a circular to all schools setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. Included in this circular was a reminder of the need for post-primary schools to continue planning for this level of provision.
The Department of Education and Youth published Circular 0023/2025 in March of this year. The circular is intended to support school-based reviews of enrolment in special classes with a view to ensuring that students are placed, as appropriate, in a special class or, in some cases, they progress to placement in mainstream classes. The circular details the review process which should be undertaken in schools and highlights the critical importance of including parents and students in the decision-making process.
In order to further 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 that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child. An earlier date of 1 October was set for parents to do so.
This notification process will provide the NCSE with valuable information as to which children will continue to require a special class as they progress to post-primary level and details on students who require a place for the first time.
The earlier date will allow for earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year, and it is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.
Legislative Process
Questions (452)
Cathal Crowe
Question:452. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average time over the past six years it has taken to produce a stamped final bill in her Department from the time when her Department has received government approval for the general scheme and the heads of a bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70270/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Education and Youth has produced three items of primary legislation which fall under the scope of this question:
• Education (Leaving Certificate) (Accredited Grades) Act 2021;
• Education (Provision in respect of children with Special Education Needs) Act 2022; and
• Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025.
Across these three items, the average time taken to produce a stamped final bill from the time when Government approval was received for the general scheme and the heads of a bill was 4 months.
The Deputy will be aware that the time taken to complete this process varies greatly depending on the complexity and scale of primary legislation as proposed, and the context in which the underlying motivation for said legislation is identified and the legislation is drafted.
It is therefore of note that the first two of the three items listed above were completed in particularly short time-frames out of recognition of the need to address emerging issues as quickly as possible.
Departmental Funding
Questions (453)
Aidan Farrelly
Question:453. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a schedule of all funding and grant aid provided by heading and subhead to Kildare, Wicklow and Meath local authorities in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the amount returned and or not expended over the same period. [70306/25]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has provided the following funding to the three local authorities in question during the period 2023 to date as follows;
|
Year |
Meath |
Kildare |
Wicklow |
|
2023 |
€29,293.80 |
€52,080.00 |
€800.00 |
|
2024 |
€65,725.69 |
€8,402.00 |
€29,892.00 |
|
2025 |
€9,605.80 |
€4,085.66 |
€3,399.00 |
|
Total |
€104,625.29
|
€64,567.66
|
€34,091.00
|
The subhead detail for these payments are set out below;
Meath
|
Subhead Description |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Primary Schools Construction |
€0 |
€0 |
€300.00 |
€7,539.60 |
|
Post Primary Schools Construction |
€29,293.80 |
€51,515.29 |
€8,295.40 |
€89,104.49 |
|
Primary Schools Rentals |
€0 |
€6,970.80 |
€1,010.40 |
€7,981.20 |
Kildare
|
Subhead Description |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Primary Schools Construction |
€0 |
€6,967.00 |
€3,110.00 |
€10,077.00 |
|
Post Primary Schools Construction |
€52,080.00 |
€500.00 |
€0 |
€52,580.00 |
|
Primary Schools Rentals |
€0 |
€935.00 |
€975.66 |
€1,910.66 |
Wicklow
|
Subhead Description |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Total |
|
Primary Schools Construction |
€0 |
€2,653.00 |
€0 |
€2,653.00 |
|
Post Primary Schools Construction |
€800.00 |
€27,239.00 |
€1,399.00 |
€29,438.00 |
|
Primary Schools Rentals |
€0 |
€0 |
€0 |
€0 |
|
Curriculum and Assessment Policy |
|
|
€2,000.00 |
€2,000 |
I can confirm that there were no amounts returned to my Department from the three local authorities.
School Staff
Questions (454, 455)
William Aird
Question:454. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will publish a single, transparent national dataset (details supplied) on teacher recruitment and retention; and the way in which her Department will respond concretely to evidence from organisations that current measures are failing to reduce vacancies or reliance on unqualified personnel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70328/25]
View answerWilliam Aird
Question:455. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific, costed measure on pay progression, contract security, workload, housing and location supports; if her Department will introduce in the course of this Government to make teaching a viable long-term career and especially in high-cost areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70329/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 455 together.
Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.
While the Department of Education and Youth does not have a single dataset for teacher supply, the Department is currently producing a range of data on teacher supply to improve the understanding of the teacher supply landscape. My Department has recently published 3 reports on: an analysis of the Teaching Council register, unmet demand in post-primary schools and on the experience of substitutes. These reports may be found at the following links:
• Teaching Council Register Analysis: Analysing Teacher Activity in the State using CSO Administrative Datahttps://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/ba784620/Teaching_Council_Register_Analysis_SoL_2023.pdf
• Survey of Teacher Unmet Demand in Post Primary Schools 2023/24https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/f30264cc/Survey_of_Unmet_Demand_School_year_2023_24.pdf
• Survey of substitute teachers 2023<https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/79315bae/Survey_of_Substitute_Teachers_2023.pdf
My Department is also undertaking other teacher supply data analysis including teacher demand and supply projections and an annual analysis of the teaching workforce based on analysis of teacher payroll data. These reports are expected to be published in early 2026.
The data produced by my Department shows there are more qualified teachers than ever working in schools with analysis of teacher payroll data from March 2025 showing over 79,000 teachers employed nationwide in our schools with over 43,000 at primary level including special schools and 36,000 in post-primary schools. Over 97%, of allocated teaching posts are filled.
The analysis of the payroll shows 3.1% (1,228 posts) of primary allocations and 1.8% of allocations (621 posts) in post-primary were unutilised. The analysis also showed there were 2.6% (627.6 posts) unutilised allocated posts in DEIS schools 3.4% (60.9) unutilised allocated posts in special education schools, and 0.4% (6.7) unutilised allocated posts in Gaeltacht schools.
Pay and workplace reform measures for public servants, including teachers, have been governed by a framework of public service pay agreements for several years. The current Public Service Agreement (PSA) is due to last until 30 June 2026.
The PSA provides for further baseline increases of 9.25% with those earning less receiving higher increases, in some cases up to 17%. These increases would increase the pay of a teacher on the top point to around €85,000 and increase point 1 to around €46,000. Each pay scale point will see increases between €4,000 and €7,500 by the end of the PSA. The starting pay for a teacher at the end of the implementation of the PSA will be almost €20,000 higher than the 2011 rates.
To help improve the tenure of teachers in our schools, it was announced earlier this year that teachers will be able to gain permanent roles more quickly. It should also be noted that 85% of newly appointed primary teachers in 2024/25 are on full-time, mostly fixed-term contracts. Over 75% of new post-primary teachers are employed full-time. 93% of teachers with 5+ years’ experience hold permanent full-time or pro-rata contracts.
The wellbeing of our teachers is very important to me and our education system. The Employee Assistance Service provides advice to all school staff on a range of issues including wellbeing, bereavement, conflict and mediation. The service provides support and advice to managers to help them deal with health and wellbeing issues personally and in the workplace. It also provides a series of webinars and presentations to promote wellbeing in schools. Where appropriate, short-term counselling is available to all school staff and their family members.
The Department has supported teachers through competitive levels of pay, improved numbers of posts in our schools and improved job security in recent times. There have been calls for an introduction of a Dublin allowance or other location type allowance for teachers. This would see similar demands from other public sector workers and are more appropriate to negotiations that take place as part of public sector pay agreements.
My Department frequently consults and engages closely with stakeholders including teacher unions and school management bodies on teacher supply issues through industrial relations forums, sectoral meetings, and direct discussions. Further measures to strengthen the teaching workforce will be considered to ensure that schools have the support needed to provide an excellent education for every student.
Question No. 455 answered with Question No. 454.
School Staff
Questions (456, 462, 464)
William Aird
Question:456. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department will provide targeted recruitment and retention incentives and mechanisms to ensure that no school is forced to drop subjects or redeploy special education staff in ways that undermine equity of access for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70330/25]
View answerWilliam Aird
Question:462. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department is taking to address the current shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in DEIS, special education, and Gaeltacht schools; the incentives or supports which are under consideration to improve teacher retention; when her Department expects to see a reduction in unfilled teaching positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70337/25]
View answerWilliam Aird
Question:464. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reforms being introduced to address staffing shortages and recruitment bottlenecks in frontline public services for education; the way in which these reforms will improve service delivery in counties such as Laois; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70965/25]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 456, 462 and 464 together.
This Government is fully committed to ensuring that every child has access to a high-quality education delivered by qualified and dedicated teachers. There are now more teachers working in our schools than ever before. As of March 2025, over 79,000 teachers were employed nationwide; 43,000 at primary level (including special schools) and 36,000 at post-primary level with over 97% of allocated posts filled. Teacher attrition remains low, with fewer than 3% resigning or retiring annually, one of the lowest rates in the OECD.
While the vast majority of schools are well-staffed, recruitment challenges persist in some areas. To address these, my Department has implemented a range of measures, including increasing teacher supply:
• Initial teacher education graduates have risen by 20% since 2018, and Teaching Council registrations have grown by 30% since 2017.
• Between 2018/19 and 2024/25, 11,752 additional teaching posts were created, supported by record Government investment.
• Budget 2026 provides for 1,042 new posts, including 860 in Special Educational Needs settings.
While most teaching positions are filled, some schools face recruitment challenges. An analysis of the March 2025 teacher payroll illustrates relatively low vacancy rates and suggests that the vast majority of schools are well-staffed and able to meet the needs of their students.
• March 2025 data shows 3.1% of primary posts and 1.8% of post-primary posts were unfilled.
• The number of unfilled, allocated posts in DEIS schools was 2.6%, in special schools: 3.4%, and in Irish medium schools: 0.4%.
• In County Laois, 3% of primary posts and 1.7% of post-primary posts were unutilised.
A range of measures have been introduced to address teacher supply, including:
• Faster access to permanent roles; induction pathways for overseas-qualified teachers.
• Launch of a €2,000 STEM bursary for student teachers.
• Expanded upskilling programmes in Irish, French, Politics & Society, and Computer Science, complementing existing maths and science initiatives.
• Continued promotion of the profession through the Teaching Transforms campaign.
• Post-primary teachers may provide up to 35 additional hours per term; restrictions on job-sharers and career-break teachers have been eased.
• A teacher workforce planning project, supported by UNESCO and the EU Commission, will deliver recommendations in mid-2026 to ensure the profession remains attractive.
Special Education and DEIS:
The DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 schools, reaching 260,000 students, with annual investment of €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16 million, rising to €48 million in 2027, to implement the new DEIS plan and DEIS Plus scheme.
Special Education Teaching allocations remain ring-fenced, and Budget 2026 provides for 1,717 additional SNAs, bringing the total to over 24,000, a 40% increase since 2020. The first Special Needs Workforce Development Plan will be published shortly.
Gaeltacht and Irish-medium education:
Funding continues for Irish-medium teacher education programmes, including the B.Ed. at Marino Institute, the M.Ed. at Trinity College, and PME pathways at University of Galway. New initiatives, such as the Conair Lán-Ghaeilge pathway, commenced this year.
Attractiveness of the profession:
Demand for teacher education remains strong, with 3,600 newly qualified teachers registered in 2025. Salaries range from €44,879 to €85,000, and CAO first-preference applications for teaching programmes have increased steadily.
Employment conditions are robust: 85% of new primary teachers and 75% of new post-primary teachers are full-time, while 93% of teachers with 5+ years’ experience hold permanent contracts.
My Department continues to engage closely with stakeholders to address teacher supply and retention challenges. These measures reflect our commitment to ensuring that every school has the resources needed to provide an excellent education for all students.
Official Engagements
Questions (457)
William Aird
Question:457. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date that she and her Departmental officials will visit a school site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70331/25]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Education and Youth has had no involvement with the building project at the school referred to by the Deputy. The Department is aware of the development independently progressed by the school concerned in conjunction with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
It is my Department’s intention to undertake a visit to the site and officials will make contact with the school in advance.
School Enrolments
Questions (458)
William Aird
Question:458. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils enrolled in junior infants in primary schools in County Laois for the school years 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70332/25]
View answerWritten answers
Please find attached requested data. Data provided is for pupils in Junior Infants for academic years 2021-2022 to 2024-2025, we expect to publish standard data for academic year 2025-2026 in June 2026.
Enrolments in Junior Infants peaked in 2021/22 with 63,825 pupils nationally. Figures are gradually declining, with 61,233 pupils in 24/25, and are expected to continue to decline over the next number of years.
Our latest projections of full time enrolment for primary and post-primary can be found at the link below;
https://assets.gov.ie/289143/3fe06be4-1842-40f7-8963-c771aa62bd5d.pdf.
|
- |
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
|
County Description |
Standard Description |
Enrolment per Return |
Enrolment per Return |
Enrolment per Return |
Enrolment per Return |
|
Laois |
Junior Infants |
1,207 |
1,229 |
1,239 |
1,193 |
School Staff
Questions (459)
William Aird
Question:459. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to give public sector status to all secretaries and caretakers working in schools, to be given access to the same rights, the same certainty of a pension on retirement and salaries as the teachers and SNAs that they work alongside; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70334/25]
View answerWritten answers
Recognising 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.
Youth Services
Questions (460)
William Aird
Question:460. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the implementation of the ‘Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028’; which of the 18 priority actions have been commenced; the budgetary allocation; the way in which youth services are being increased in underserved/rural areas; the way in which young people are being engaged in shaping delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70335/25]
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Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services is the strategic framework for the youth work sector, published in September 2024. The purpose of the strategy is to provide a platform for an effective, data-driven, and joined-up approach to the delivery of youth work and related services.
The implementation of the strategy will be reported on via the Young Ireland governance structures. The implementation of this strategy and the cooperation of all relevant actors will be supported via a new National Youth Sector Reference Group, as well as a group with representatives from departments and agencies that provide funding to or interact with the youth sector. Since the transfer of Youth Affairs to my department on 1 May 2025, actions have been included in the Education Plan to bring forward these structures.
My officials are drafting an implementation plan to support the delivery of the strategy, and engagement with stakeholders involved in the delivery of the strategy's 18 priority actions will take place in early course. Work is progressing on delivery of several of the actions for which my department has lead responsibility.
Under Action 7, a workforce survey was developed in late 2024 and disseminated to youth workers to establish baseline data and information. This data is being analysed at present. In March 2025, a questionnaire issued to youth organisations to provide my department with a more in-depth understanding of the challenges experienced by youth organisations in workforce recruitment and retention.
Under Action 8, my officials have begun initial work on a review of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. The review will assess how the scheme operates, the extent to which the scheme is meeting its objectives, and whether the processes and procedures that underpin the scheme are fit for purpose.
Under Action 9, significant progress has been made on the development of a comprehensive mapping tool. This includes the creation of an internal dashboard. It is intended to create a dynamic map designed to serve as a central resource for young people and their guardians and educators to improve awareness of and access to youth clubs services across the country.
Arising from Budget 2025, €84.9m has been allocated for current and capital expenditure for the benefit of young people, an increase in funding of €7 million, or almost 9%, on the 2024 budget. Over the period from 2021 to 2025, the level of current Exchequer funding for youth services and programmes will have increased by over 34%.?
The additional funding allocated in Budget 2025 has enhanced the sustainability of youth organisations and boosted youth work service capacity by financing new targeted youth services. This investment has facilitated the implementation of Opportunities for Youth: The National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028.
In Budget 2025, an additional €1.2 million was allocated for the establishment of ten new UBU services which will provide targeted youth worker-led support for up to 1,000 young people where they are most needed.
Each ETB was invited to make a submission for one new UBU service in their area.
Following a competitive assessment process, the ten locations that secured funding for a new UBU service were as follows:
• Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath
• Laois Rural – UBU Laois Connect (including Mountmellick/Dangans/ Mountrath and Rathdowney), Co. Laois
• East Donegal/South Central Donegal (including Lifford, Stranorlar, Raphoe, Ballindrait, Castlefinn, Killygordon), Co. Donegal
• Carrick on Súir, Co Tipperary
• Johnstown and Urlingford (North Kilkenny), Co. Kilkenny
• Monaghan Town, Co Monaghan
• Deeside Region, Co. Louth/Co. Meath
• Castlebar and Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo
• Greater Kenmare, Co. Kerry
• Newbridge, Co. Kildare
My officials have been actively touring the 16 ETB locations across various counties, engaging in discussions with youth workers and young people at a range of Youth Centres and Youth Information Centres (YIC). These interactions showcase, firsthand, the significant work being accomplished in these Centres.
The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) is the representative body for voluntary youth organisations in Ireland. It is a membership organisation that represents the shared interests of voluntary youth organisations and is a key stakeholder for my department. NYCI is a key partner of my department on a number of initiatives such as North/South Education and Training Standards (NSETS), Child Protection, the National Youth Health Programme and the EU Youth dialogue
My department engages with National Youth Organisations through the National Youth Organisation (NYO) forum on a regular basis. At these gatherings, my department provides the organisations with an update on current priorities and the organisations give input on achievements or issues that they would like to bring to the department’s attention.