Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
426. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department collects centralised comparative data on levels of student need across post primary schools; if so, if she will provide these data in tabular form; and if not, the rationale for requiring schools to determine need in the absence of national benchmarks given delays for professional assessments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71398/25]
View answerThe department does not hold centralised comparative data on the level of individual student needs.
Such data is maintained at individual school level and detailed within the individual student support file held by the school.
The Continuum of Support is the framework developed by NEPS for schools to identify, plan and provide support for children and young people who experience difficulties with their learning.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) supports schools in implementing the Continuum of Support framework with each school taking responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and supports for children and young people with special educational needs.
Under this model, a child or young person does not require a psychological assessment diagnosis in order to access additional support at school.
This Continuum of Support framework recognises that special educational needs occur along a continuum, ranging from mild to more significant, and from transient to enduring. It recognises that children require different levels of support depending on their identified educational needs, and that needs may change over time.
Using this framework helps to ensure flexible and timely allocation of supports, so that those children with the greatest level of need have access to the greatest level of support.
