Written Answers Nos. 439-458
439. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on WRC talks with a union (details supplied) involving school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73444/25]
View answerSchool secretaries and caretakers are at the heart of the school and are the key interface between students, parents, school leaders and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole.
My Department has been engaging with Fórsa and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation over the past number of weeks under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to a number of claims including a claim for a comparable pension entitlement.
The matter has now been referred to the Labour Court, and a hearing will take place on 12th 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, where engagement is sensitive and complex, the matters under discussion are confidential until this process concludes.
440. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a schedule of campaigns over the last five years aimed at attracting teachers working abroad to come back to work in Ireland; the duration of the campaigns; the format they took; the total expenditure associated with each; a schedule of external parties used in respect of the campaigns; and the jurisdictions in which campaigns were run. [73448/25]
View answerThis Government is fully committed to ensuring that every child has a positive school experience, with access to qualified and engaged teachers who are dedicated to supporting their learning.
The recruitment and appointment of teachers is managed by individual school authorities. There are over 3,700 individual school authorities, responsible for this process, including boards of management at primary and post-primary schools, as well as Education and Training Boards (ETBs). As such, the Department of Education and Youth does not engage directly in the recruitment of teachers.
An analysis of teacher payroll data, as of March 2025, shows there are 79,225 teachers employed in our schools across the country with 43,221 at primary level including special schools and 36,004 in post-primary schools. In October 2023 there were 4,672 teachers (3.9% of registered teachers) showed no signs of activity in the State. However, the data available does not provide information on the location of these teachers, or whether they would be in a position to return to work in the State or if they are in a teaching role outside the State.
A number of measures are in place to support teachers who are qualified abroad and those who are working abroad to work in Ireland. Regulations were approved recently to allow teachers who qualified overseas to undertake their induction in the State. This measure seeks to enhance the supply of teachers available to schools and is particularly relevant for Irish teachers who have studied and qualified abroad and who may wish to return to the Irish education sector.
Additionally, incremental credit can be awarded in respect of teaching service, both within and outside the EU. Where a school satisfies the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit, an award of incremental credit can be made.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post-primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).
As well as these measures, my Department funds communications campaigns and supports such as Turas Abhaile, and educationpost.ie. The Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) operate educationposts.ie, which is a portal for the recruitment of teachers to long-term teaching positions. The portal facilitates the matching of demand and supply and provides an efficient and user-friendly recruitment process for both schools and teachers, including teachers working abroad who wish to apply for posts here.
Turas Abhaile is an initiative of the post-primary school management bodies and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) which has assisted teachers based abroad to return to teach in Ireland since September 2019. Turas Abhaile matches teachers with specific vacancies and participating schools facilitate online interviews to suit the preferences of candidates.
The Department continues to promote the teaching profession through development of the Teaching Transforms campaign, which promotes the teaching profession and encourages students to follow a career in teaching. Promotion campaigns have been developed to coincide with the CAO closing date and change of mind deadline in recent years. The campaign is supported by a dedicated webpage, which includes useful information for teachers seeking to return to work in Ireland or who have qualified outside the State (www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms).
The Department provides a range of measures to address teacher supply. The Department announced new measures in 2025 including assisting teachers gain permanent roles more quickly. In addition, measures expanding upskilling programmes, introducing a STEM bursary, improving the availability of substitutes and the development of teacher workforce planning are being undertaken.
The Department will continue to consider further measures to strengthen the teaching workforce and ensure that schools have the support needed to provide an excellent education for every student.
441. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has concerns regarding aspects of the tendering process (details supplied) for the provision of free school meals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73453/25]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my colleague the Minster for Social Protection is the policy owner for the School Meals Programme and provides the funding for the meals directly to the school.
The objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. My Department took the lead in relation to supporting schools in meeting their obligations to public procurement of school meals.
The primary relationship is between the school and supplier. It is the responsibility of each school board to select a supplier on the open market, in a fair and transparent manner in accordance with public procurement rules. These rules clearly define the successful tenderer’s responsibilities and obligations, including in relation to compliance with Nutritional Standards for School Meals and Nutritional Standards for Hot School Meals.
The programme is designed so that meals are provided by contracted food business operators, with the responsibility for food safety and compliance with relevant legislative obligations placed on these professional providers and not on the schools themselves. This ensures children benefit from a reliable, high-quality service, while schools are protected from having to take on responsibilities more appropriate to the providers, who will have the necessary expertise and experience in food provision.
The School Meals Programme is open to all Food Business Operators who meet the selection criteria and mandatory requirements set out in the tender documents.
No new legislation has been introduced nor has there been a change in the application of the law in respect of the provision of schools meals.
442. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently intervene and address the pension parity issues in respect of school secretaries and caretakers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73458/25]
View answer443. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, in view of the breakdown in talks, she will urgently intervene and address the pension parity issues in respect of school secretaries and caretakers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73460/25]
View answer459. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress made to date on discussions between her Department, the Workplace Relations Commission and other relevant stakeholders to find a resolution to the school secretaries and caretakers dispute; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73496/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 442, 443 and 459 together.
School secretaries and caretakers are at the heart of the school and are the key interface between students, parents, school leaders and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole.
My Department has been engaging with Fórsa and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation over the past number of weeks under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission in relation to a number of claims including a claim for a comparable pension entitlement.
The matter has now been referred to the Labour Court, and a hearing will take place on 12th 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, where engagement is sensitive and complex, the matters under discussion are confidential until this process concludes.
444. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an additional accommodation scheme application lodged by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73468/25]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area.
I am pleased to advise, under the Department's Modular Accommodation Framework, that a Project Manager was appointed to the school to carry out a viability report for the agreed brief of accommodation. Due to the restricted nature of the school site and its location within an Architectural Conservation Area (ACA) options to locate the modular accommodation were limited. The viability report issued to the school in January 2025. A number of issues was subsequently raised by the school authority in relation to the proposed location of the modular accommodation and also in relation to the repurposing of a basement space.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,300 school building projects. In addition, repurposing and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. Circa 80% of new special classes in 2025/26 are being facilitated in repurposed classroom accommodation.
Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. Supplementary capital funding of €210 million approved by Government has brought the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.
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 shorlty 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.
The proposed project for this school is currently being considered in this context.
445. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of request by school (details supplied) for a modular unit to accommodate a special class as an interim measure while the new build proceeds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73469/25]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question has been approved capital funding by my Department for a traditional build project consisting of 3x Special education classrooms 1x Mainstream classroom 1x Universal access toilet, 1x Science lab and preparation area, 1x Engineering room and student toilets. This project has been devolved to the school authorities for delivery and it is currently at stage 1. The school also has a project to repurpose existing school space to accommodate a special classroom and this is at stage 4.
My department is not in receipt of any application from the school in question for modular units to accommodate special classes. However, it is important to note that any modular provided for schools is considered a permanent accommodation solution and any traditional build project would have to be reduced accordingly to account for this.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects. Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. A recent Government decision has approved €210m supplementary capital funding for my department which brings the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.
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 the 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 shortly 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.
I can assure the Deputy that my department is very cognisant of the requirement around the delivery of accommodation for the school in question and is working to advance matters. The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my department. My officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the wider school planning area for future years.
446. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the additional accommodation project application lodged by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73470/25]
View answerThe school referred to was approved to enter my Departments pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide four Mainstream classrooms and a two Classroom SEN base. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.
Approval to Stage 2B (planning) of the architectural design process was granted to the school authority in Q4 2023. A Stage 2B report was received in Q4 2024 and is currently being reviewed from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the public Infrastructure Guidelines.
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 shortly 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.
447. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding meeting request from principal regarding outstanding remedial works (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73471/25]
View answerMy department has received correspondence in relation to remedial works for the schools mentioned by the deputy.
My department will be in contact with both schools and their Patron bodies in the new year to arrange a meeting.
448. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the additional accommodation project application lodged by a school (details supplied); the timeline for a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73472/25]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question initially submitted an application under the department’s Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA) in 2018. An assessment deemed that the site was restricted and that additional lands were required to deliver this accommodation, and this application was withdrawn by the school authority.
A request to purchase additional lands was submitted by the school in 2021 and the acquisition of a 2.765 acres site adjacent to the school was completed at the end of May 2025.
In late 2024 the school in question submitted a revised ASA application for additional accommodation to meet their future needs.
The Department's 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. A strong focus will be 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. The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my department.
A decision will be made in relation to the school's application for additional accommodation shortly in the context of overall programme management. This decision will take account of overall school place needs, including for children with special education needs, and in cognisance of demographic projections, capacity across schools in the area, and the extent to which schools are prioritising local school place needs.
449. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the additional accommodation project application lodged by a school (details supplied); the timeline for a decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73473/25]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the departments pipeline of school buildings for a project to provide a four Classroom SEN base. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.
The project was approved by my Department to progress to Stage 2a (detailed design) in July 2025. The school authority’s design team is now responsible for developing the design and an accurate cost plan that addresses my Department’s Stage 1 comments and recommendations.
All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the public Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall programme.
450. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the assessment process of an application for additional school accommodation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73474/25]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
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.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects. Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities. A recent Government decision has approved €210m supplementary capital funding for my department which brings the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6 billion.
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 the 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.
The application from the school in question is currently being considered in this context by my officials. Once the assessment process has been finalised the school authority will be notified of the decision directly.
451. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the national roll out of the single application system for special education classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73475/25]
View answerThis government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
I commend the work of primary school principals and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in supporting the establishment of the common applications trial for primary special classes. I understand that 13 schools took part in the initial year of the trial and I expect the D15 Taskforce report to contain recommendations in relation to admissions.
The NCSE is leading work at local level with school principals on running the admissions trial for another year. The key focus of my department has been working with the NCSE and school patron bodies to secure additional special classes. This has involved extensive engagement over recent weeks and months.
The common application system pilot is also ongoing in some other areas of the country, running concurrently to the extension of the autism class application trial in the Dublin 15 area. These pilots form an important step towards delivering a more efficient, transparent, and equitable school application process. It will reduce stress for families, ease administrative burdens on schools, while also supporting better planning for school places.
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.
452. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the climate action summer works scheme application submitted by a school (details supplied), specifically relating to the urgent need to replace pupil toilet facilities located outside the classrooms; if she will review the school’s application as a matter of priority, given the health, safety and infrastructural concerns outlined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73479/25]
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.
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 that 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 climate action summer works scheme 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.
It is anticipated that the next tranche of approvals will be in the latter half of 2026.
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: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/
453. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the funding and resource supports available to a school (details supplied) in light of the significant infrastructural, demographic and pedagogical challenges faced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73480/25]
View answerThe Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools and the Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet day-to-day running costs.
The commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years. The Department has secured €39 million in Budget 2026 towards increased capitation funding for primary, post-primary and special schools to provide additional financial support towards their running costs. This will see an increase in the standard capitation rates paid to schools of €50 per pupil for primary schools from €224 to €274 and of €20 per student for post-primary schools from €386 to €406. This will also allow for an increase of €20 in capitation rates for Urban Band One DEIS primary schools, increasing the mainstream pupil rate in these schools to €294. The increased capitation rates will also see special schools now receive the same rates of mainstream capitation, for young people aged 12 and over, as for their peers in mainstream post-primary schools. These increases will take effect from September 2026. This funding will benefit schools around the country in managing their day-to-day running costs.
The increases announced in Budget 2026 are in addition to the 12% increases as part of Budget 2025. The last three Budgets have resulted in an increase in the level of capitation grant rates of 49.7% (€91) paid to primary schools and 28.5% (€90) paid to post-primary schools.
The Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for the employment of relevant secretaries as per Circular 0036/2022.
The current standard rate of capitation grant is €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 per student in post-primary schools. Primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the capitation and the ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils. Enhanced rates are also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.
OGP frameworks are available to schools for a number of categories including facilities management, managed services, professional services, and utilities. Schools should ensure that they are availing of these available OGP procurement frameworks in order to get the best value for money for all school expenditure, in accordance with Circular 0060/2013. The benefits arising from these frameworks include cash savings, administrative savings from reduced duplication of tendering, greater purchasing expertise, improved consistency, enhanced service levels and legal certainty. Schools Procurement Unit (SPU), funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on procurement matters - www.spu.ie
Schools in financial difficulty are encouraged to contact the Department for advice and support. The Department is committed to offering all available and appropriate supports to schools, which may include an advance in capitation grant funding or other measures.
The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters.
Applications relating to the provision of funding for issues relating to an existing school building can fall under a number of different delivery mechanisms including, most frequently, the Summer Works Scheme and the Emergency Works Scheme.
The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. 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 the minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation. The EWS usually provides an interim solution until such time as a comprehensive solution can be provided under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS).
The purpose of the 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 Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (which was previously named the Summer Works Scheme) places a strong emphasis on sustainability. Schools can now undertake additional measures such as insulation upgrades, LED lighting installation, EV charger provision, bike rack facilities to support active travel and other climate-focused works alongside traditional maintenance.
The newly announced Climate Action Summer works has recently closed for applications, while the EWS is open for applications year-round. It is open to any school to make an application under the most appropriate scheme
The Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The Minor Works Grant is provided to all primary and special schools, to enable them undertake small-scale minor maintenance and improvement works on a devolved basis. I recently announced that Minor works for the 2026/2027 school would be paid in December 2025.
The school referred to by the Deputy is due to receive €9,810 in minor works funding this week
Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works Grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary schools, including special schools. In recent years, the Department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works Grant to schools in advance of the start of the following school year, in order to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.
Since 2020, €340 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants, have been allocated to schools. This includes the payment of Minor Works Grants totalling almost €30 million for the school year 2026/2027 which has issued this week
Primary and special schools need not apply for Minor Works Grant aid. Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and special schools on the following basis:
€5,500 basic grant plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil enrolled in the school on the 30th of September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school.
Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed, to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.
The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and its associated implementation plan is underpinned by funding of €200 million for schools in the form of the ICT Grant over the course of the strategy, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The funding allocation model is provided for in the National Development Plan and outlines funding to issue over the period of the NDP, applied by the Department for the Digital Strategy duration (to 2027 for the current strategy).
To date, a total of €100 million of the €200 million committed for in the NDP for the strategy has issued to schools through the ICT grant.
This funding underpins the ongoing commitment to supporting and enabling schools to continue to embed the use of digital technologies to enhance teaching, learning and assessment
454. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria currently used to determine DEIS status for primary schools; if she will review the eligibility of a school (details supplied) for DEIS designation, given that over 85% of pupils do not speak English at home, the school’s enrolment of 44 nationalities, and its high levels of transience linked to the local hospitality sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73481/25]
View answer455. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that no primary school in the Killarney area currently has DEIS status, despite significant levels of socio-economic need among families, many of whom are employed in minimum-wage hospitality work; if she will examine this anomaly, with a view to expanding DEIS supports to Killarney schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73482/25]
View answer465. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth when it is proposed to include more schools in the DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73612/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 454, 455 and 465 together.
The DEIS programme is a key policy of Government to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. It provides a targeted range of supports and is additional to the universal supports provided to all schools, such as free schoolbooks and free hot school meals at primary schools. Schools also have access other universal supports such as wellbeing supports for students through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), additional teaching hours under the English as an Additional Language (EAL) scheme and advisory support from the Department’s Inspectorate.
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.
The new DEIS Strategy will include a focus on developing more innovative approaches to addressing educational disadvantage in all schools and working towards a more flexible system of support to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time. This will involve a more dynamic resource allocation model where levels of resources more accurately follow the levels of need identified by objective data.
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. Information on how schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme to date can be found here: assets.gov.ie/static/documents/the-refined-deis-identification-model.pdf
Any future expansion of the DEIS programme, and overall allocation of resources, will be determined within the context of the new DEIS Strategy, which will be published early in 2026.
456. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address the recent loss of two full-time English-as-an-Additional-Language teaching posts and one full-time SNA post at a school (details supplied); if she will review the allocation model in cases where the vast majority of pupils do not speak English at home; if she will restore appropriate supports to meet the significant language-learning needs of the student population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73483/25]
View answer457. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional supports, teaching resources and staffing allocations available to schools where more than 80% of pupils are non-native English speakers; if she will consider targeted interventions for schools such as one in County Kerry (details supplied), where the absence of such supports creates barriers to learning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73484/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 457 together.
The Department has prioritised enhancing English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, recognising the critical role of language proficiency in successful integration and academic achievement.
The Department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment. This has been particularly effective in the context of the pace and volume of newly arrived students fleeing the war in Ukraine and the ongoing increase in students, who require EAL supports to fully access the curriculum. These supports to schools, based on application process, are provided for new-entrant pupils (i.e., pupils arrived in the country in the last 2 years with an EAL requirement).
Similar to previous years, supports may also be provided for schools with a high concentration of pupils that are not classified as new-entrant pupils but who have an EAL need i.e., those pupils with less than 3 years EAL support and register less than B1 in an English proficiency test. Accordingly, the Presentation Monastery School has received an EAL allocation based on the number of qualifying pupils applied for.
The NCSE is the body responsible for the allocation of SNA posts based on the care needs profile of the school. Deputies are welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line: oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie
The Department's policies enable flexible resource allocation to ensure that the resources follow children in the event of them changing schools. Schools may also apply for further language support during the school year, should their circumstances change.
458. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will accept an invitation to visit a school (details supplied) to see firsthand the challenges relating to infrastructure, language support, staffing and funding raised by the school community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [73485/25]
View answerAll diary requests are considered by my Office in the Department. The team can be reached by the following email address: Ministers_Calendar@education.gov.ie, and they can liaise with the school in question.
Matters relating to school accommodation, language support, staffing and funding are kept under ongoing review by my Department in line with available resources and relevant policy frameworks.
