Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2026
462. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the allocation of special education teaching hours and special needs assistant posts to a school in Celbridge (details supplied); whether additional resources will be considered for the 2025-2026 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5512/26]
View answer465. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth to review the level of learning support available to students with additional educational needs in a school (details supplied), particularly in core subjects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5515/26]
View answer466. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration will be given to sanctioning additional SNA hours for a school (details supplied) to ensure consistent daily access to sensory regulation supports for students who require them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5516/26]
View answer467. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria and data used to determine SET and SNA allocations for post-primary schools in County Kildare; the basis for the allocation provided to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5517/26]
View answer468. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her recent visit to a school (details supplied), if she will initiate an immediate review of the school’s resourcing needs and consider interim supports pending a full review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5518/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 462, 465, 466, 467 and 468 together.
This 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.
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 email address.
The Special Education Teaching (SET) Allocation Model is a standardised allocation model that provides schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of students in mainstream classes.
When the model was introduced, it replaced a diagnosis led model with one based on need. This ensures the allocation supports all students that require a level of additional teaching support as identified through the Continuum of Support framework.
Special needs assistant (SNA) posts are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the students enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
If a school feels like it has insufficient SNA support to meet the needs of its students an application can be submitted to the NCSE requesting a review of its allocation. Detailed information on the NCSE's SNA review process is published on the NCSE's website. Each case is individually assessed and is based on the student profile of each school.
By the end of the 2026 calendar year there will be over 21,000 special educational teachers and almost 25,000 SNAs in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. This will mean we will have almost 46,000 teachers and SNAs working in our education system committed to supporting and nurturing students with special educational needs, enabling them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
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.
