Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 December 2025
142. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding her Department’s primary school survey; the next steps following the survey’s conclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70226/25]
View answerThe Primary School Survey, which was launched on 4 November, is due to close on Tuesday 16 December.
The survey – the largest of its kind ever undertaken in Ireland – is school specific and aims to assess demand and preferences for different types of primary school provision including patronage/ethos, co-education or single-sex school provision and language of instruction (English or Irish).
Through the survey, my department is seeking clear information on the preferences of parents and guardians about the primary schools which their children currently attend, or will attend in coming years, on a number of important areas of primary school provision. The results of the survey will help my department plan how education is provided at primary level.
Parents, guardians, primary school staff and primary school Board of Management members have been invited to complete a survey.
I encourage all parents and guardian with children in primary school and all parents and guardians of children not yet in primary school to take this opportunity to complete a survey and “Have Your Say” about the primary school that your children attend now or will attend in the future. I also encourage all primary school staff and Board of Management members to complete a survey on your primary school.
The survey is not a final step. Where there is clear support for change to be considered, a further process of inclusive dialogue will begin.
My department will use the survey results to input into its analysis of national, local and school-specific data to help the department in respect of planning at primary school level. The department will work with relevant stakeholders on actioning the outcomes from the surveys in the context of future school planning.
Initial high-level summary results will be published in early 2026.
The survey can be completed on [www.gov.ie/primaryschoolsurvey].
My department has robust arrangements in place to ensure the integrity and security of the primary school survey process. Arrangements for validating survey returns operate after survey returns are received as this facilitates ease of use for survey users.
Information regarding the survey can be accessed on [www.gov.ie/primaryschoolsurvey].
