Written Answers Nos. 146-165
147. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of male teachers in the State, by primary and post-primary schools, for each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10791/26]
View answer148. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of female teachers in the State, by primary and post-primary schools, for the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10792/26]
View answer149. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of principals in the State, by gender, by primary or post-primary school, for the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10793/26]
View answer151. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the gender ratio of teachers at primary and post-primary schools respectively, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10795/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 147, 148, 149 and 151 together.
This 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 Department produces and publishes a range of data on teachers and principals, including the gender of teachers and principals appointed. These data including the number of male and female teachers and principals in the education system at both primary and post-primary level each year for the period 2015 to 2025 may be found on the Teacher Statistics section to the Department's website, using this link <www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/teacher-statistics/>
The ratio of female to male teachers in primary and post-primary schools (excluding ETBs) in the 2024/25 school year was 5.35:1 and 2.13:1 respectively.
Ratio of Female Teachers to Male Teachers – Primary
|
School Year |
Ratio of Female Teachers to Male Teachers |
|
2024/2025 |
5.35 : 1 |
|
2023/2024 |
5.36 : 1 |
|
2022/2023 |
5.47 : 1 |
|
2021/2022 |
5.45 : 1 |
|
2020/2021 |
5.47 : 1 |
|
2019/2020 |
5.49 : 1 |
Ratio of Female Teachers to Male Teachers – Post Primary
|
School Year |
Ratio of Female Teachers to Male Teachers |
|
2024/2025 |
2.13 : 1 |
|
2023/2024 |
2.14 : 1 |
|
2022/2023 |
2.17 : 1 |
|
2021/2022 |
2.18 : 1 |
|
2020/2021 |
2.20 : 1 |
|
2019/2020 |
2.21 : 1 |
Note: Post primary figures do not include ETBs.
An analysis of teacher payroll data, as of November 2025, shows there are 75,000 teachers employed in our schools across the country with 40,308 at primary level including special schools and 34,626 in post-primary schools.
My Department recently published three reports on teacher supply including data on an analysis of the Teaching Council register, a survey of substitutes and a survey of teacher unmet demand in post-primary schools.
My Department remains committed to supporting a diverse and sustainable teaching workforce and a project focused on strategic workforce planning for the teaching profession is currently underway, supported by UNESCO and the European Commission. A report including recommendations will be published in mid-2026.
I 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.
150. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students who applied to undertake a teaching degree each year, by gender, for each of the years 2020 to 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10794/26]
View answerMy Department does not hold data the number of students who applied to undertake a teaching degree. The Central Applications Office (CAO) processes applications for undergraduate courses in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
In seeking to assist you in answering this query we have requested this information directly from the CAO.
The CAO response is attached for information.
Table 1: Total Applications1 by Course Category2 and Gender3 2020 - 2025:
Course Category: ISCEDf Narrow Field : (011) Education4
|
|
Gender |
|
|
|
Year |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
2020 |
6,424 |
18,099 |
24,523 |
|
2021 |
6,512 |
19,628 |
26,140 |
|
2022 |
6,713 |
20,292 |
27,005 |
|
2023 |
6,938 |
20,363 |
27,301 |
|
2024 |
6,972 |
19,176 |
26,148 |
|
2025 |
7,058 |
20,379 |
27,437 |
Course Category: CAO Specialist Category : (001) Primary Education
|
|
Gender |
|
|
|
Year |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
2020 |
2,098 |
8,763 |
10,861 |
|
2021 |
2,041 |
8,671 |
10,712 |
|
2022 |
1,782 |
8,077 |
9,859 |
|
2023 |
1,495 |
7,249 |
8,744 |
|
2024 |
1,761 |
7,733 |
9,494 |
|
2025 |
1,761 |
8,252 |
10,013 |
Course Category: CAO Specialist Category : (002) Secondary Education5
|
|
Gender |
|
|
|
Year |
Male |
Female |
Total |
|
2020 |
4,154 |
5,899 |
10,053 |
|
2021 |
4,104 |
5,547 |
9,651 |
|
2022 |
4,551 |
6,738 |
11,289 |
|
2023 |
4,968 |
7,773 |
12,741 |
|
2024 |
4,789 |
6,688 |
11,477 |
|
2025 |
4,825 |
7,057 |
11,882 |
Footnotes:
1: Source of data is CAO Board of Directors reports from 2020 - 2025 (2025 is provisional until official publication of report)
2: Caution should be exercised when interpreting trends in course category numbers from year to year, as courses may be added and removed in each course category area and occasionally courses may have their course category code recategorised by the Higher Education Institute.
3: From 2020, the CAO allowed applicants to indicate that they prefer not to say their sex (PNTS). For data privacy reasons and In order to continue the statistical time series for users, the aggregation method for these tables allocated these very small number to either male or female. It is possible in the future to create a new category of PNTS if the numbers become large enough to publish without potential data privacy breaches.
4: This refers to Level 8 courses , there are some applicants to Level 7/6 Education courses but these would not be considered Primary or Secondary teaching courses. Please also note that the ISCEDf Broad Field for Education contains the same courses as the ISCEDf Narrow Field.
5: Please note that not all Secondary Teaching courses in this category were classified with ISCEDf of Education by the Higher Education Institute
152. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department maintains, receives, or collates any national dataset on the number of children in mainstream primary and post-primary schools who are placed on reduced or partial timetables for reasons related to additional or special educational needs; if so, the number recorded in each of the past five years, broken down by year and school level; and if not, the rationale for the absence of such a dataset given her Department’s statutory responsibility for educational inclusion and oversight. [10810/26]
View answer153. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether schools are required, under Departmental circulars, guidance, or policy, to formally notify her Department or an agency under her remit when a child ceases attending mainstream education, or is placed on a reduced timetable, due to the school stating it cannot meet the child’s additional or special educational needs; when such requirements were last reviewed; and if no such mandatory reporting requirement exists, whether she accepts this represents a governance gap. [10811/26]
View answer154. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to set out the legal basis, Departmental policy position, and any issued guidance governing the use of reduced or partial timetables for children with additional or special educational needs; the circumstances in which such timetables are considered permissible; the maximum duration envisaged under policy; and the safeguards in place to ensure reduced timetables are not used as a substitute for the provision of appropriate in-school supports. [10812/26]
View answer155. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth what mechanisms her Department uses to monitor and oversee cases where children with additional or special educational needs are no longer attending mainstream schools on a full-time basis, including cases involving reduced timetables, home tuition, or alternative provision; the specific indicators or thresholds that trigger Departmental review; and how accountability is enforced where unmet needs, rather than parental choice, are the primary driver. [10813/26]
View answer156. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department tracks educational pathways for children who exit mainstream schooling due to unmet additional or special educational needs, including subsequent placement in alternative education programmes, home tuition, or no provision; and if not, whether she will commit to establishing a tracking mechanism to ensure no child is effectively excluded from education without visibility or oversight. [10815/26]
View answer160. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify the formal role of special educational needs organisers in cases where a child’s attendance at mainstream school is reduced or discontinued due to unmet needs; whether SENOs have authority to require schools to maintain full-time attendance where supports are lacking; and how her Department measures the effectiveness of SENO interventions in preventing de facto exclusion. [10844/26]
View answer161. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has conducted, commissioned, or plans to undertake a policy review of reduced timetables and informal exclusionary practices affecting children with additional or special educational needs; the timeline for any such review; and whether the review will include mandatory reporting, data collection, and enforceable safeguards. [10845/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 152, 153, 154, 155, 156, 160 and 161 together.
Enabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs is a priority for this Government.?It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).? The vast majority of students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs. Parents and schools can contact the NCSE directly using the details available on the NCSE's website. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to offer advice, support and guidance as required to ensure students with special educational needs are supported to achieve their full potential.
The position of my department continues to be that all pupils who are enrolled in a school should attend school for the full day. Where this is not possible for exceptional circumstances this is known as a reduced school day.
A commitment was made under the Programme for Government to ensure robust data collection on the use of reduced school days and to further ensure that they are only used in a manner that is limited, appropriate and absolutely necessary. In September 2021, my department issued Reduced School Day Guidelines to all schools on the procedures to be followed when reduced school days are put in place for students. These guidelines came into effect on 1 January 2022. These guidelines clearly state that reduced school days should not be used as a sanction, offered as an alternative to a sanction, or used as a behavioural management tool.
Reduced School Days or RSD is a transitionary arrangement which should only ever be considered in very limited and time-bound circumstances such as, for example, supporting a student to return to school after a period of absence, or due to a medical or mental health-related condition, or due to other exceptional circumstance and only with the consent of the parent or the guardians. It is designed to assist the student to attend for some part of the school day along with his/her peers, where it is not possible at a point in time for them to attend in a full-time capacity.
Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my Department since 2021. TESS operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is responsible for gathering the data from schools in relation to the use of reduced school days and delivers a local school servicethrough the national network of Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs). These officers provide support and guidance to both parents and schools in relation to the use of a reduced school day. TESS and the NCSE have worked with my department to enable the streamlining of the notification process with introduction of a data sharing agreement for RSD Notifications. This enables TESS to advise the NCSE directly where a child with special educational needs begins a Reduced School Day. The Special educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) in the NCSE then automatically engage with the school where there is a reduced school day to examine how the school can be best supported to allow the child to return to full attendance. This may include the provision of NCSE Advisor support, additional training, teacher or SNA allocation reviews or engagement with other services. Inspectors and NEPS psychologists routinely raise the use of the Reduced School Day during their meetings or inspections in schools.
My Department continues to work closely with TESS and the NCSE to ensure the effective operation of the RSD scheme and that all students are supported to the greatest extent possible to attend for the full school day. The use of Reduced School Days continues to be monitored and all services involved continue to work collaboratively and proactively to enable the best outcome for each individual child. Schools are encouraged to seek advice from their local TUSLA Educational Welfare Officer, National Educational Psychological Services psychologist and the NCSE’s Special Educational Needs Organisers so that the right support for each child can be provided. In addition, if any parent feels that reduced school days are being used inappropriately or without their consent they can contact their local EWO, SENO or the Department and this will be investigated.
Other monitoring and oversight arrangements include:
• Consideration of individual case management by relevant bodies in a collaborative way, particularly Tusla and the NCSE and with NEPs input where required.
• The use of RSDs for all students including those with special educational needs continues to be monitored by the Department of Education.
• The provision of information sessions and training aids to schools and parents to assist them to understand the RSD guidelines and share experiences on the effective use of Reduced School Day as a tool to bring children back to full time education.
My department’s Home Tuition Grant Schemes provides funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for several reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short-term intervention. In exceptional cases the Department will consider home tuition applications on behalf of students where a continued absence from school is required to facilitate appropriate medical or therapeutic intervention with a view to the reintegration of the student in their school.
The latest available RSD statistics, which are published on gov.ie, show that during the 2023/24 school year TESS received a total of 1,275 first notifications that students from both Primary and Post Primary schools were on a reduced school day. My department is committed to publishing data in respect of reduced school days on an annual basis with the data in respect of the 2024/25 school year due to be published shortly.
The latest available statistics are published at the following link: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/reduced-school-days-report-202324-school-year.pdf.
157. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans there are to develop a further special school in south Tipperary (details supplied), given that the current schools are at full capacity and where a small rural school is at risk of closure due to falling numbers; if consideration would be given to converting such a school to a special education school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10840/26]
View answerEnabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided.
This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
There continues to be an increasing need to provide additional special school places to support students with complex needs. To meet this need, sixteen new special schools have been established in recent years, and capacity has been expanded in a number of others. Five of these were established for the 2025/26 school year in counties, Cork, Dublin (2), Monaghan and Tipperary.
The new special schools established over recent years have focused on providing additional places in our largest urban areas – Dublin and Cork. The department and NCSE are planning in relation to further expanding special school capacity for the 2026/27 school year. It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required each year for the coming years.
When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible. Where this is not possible in a region, the department and NCSE will consider the need to establish a new special school.
In planning for increased special school places, my department and the NCSE review all of the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand.
Part of the forward planning process as to where new classes, schools or expansion is required looks at how far students are travelling to access an education that meets their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information the NCSE hold at local level on the number of children and young people seeking a special school place in a region.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for students with special educational needs and will continue to review and monitor the situation in County Tipperary and indeed nationwide as to where new special schools are required.
158. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth since the closure of Caranua, when the survivors of residential institutional abuse will be able to avail of educational support, as referenced in the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10841/26]
View answer159. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if survivors of the residential abuse scheme who have received redress from the State previously, will receive support for furthering their education; when Department officials will be available to discuss these supports with survivors following the closure of Caranua; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10842/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 158 and 159 together.
As the Deputy is aware, the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025 enables the provision of education support payments to “former residents”, which is defined in the Act as survivors who received an award of redress from the Residential Institutions Redress Board or a similar court award or settlement.
The provision of these support payments is part of a larger package of ongoing supports, which also includes health and advocacy services, and builds upon the education supports previously provided to survivors through Caranua and the Education Finance Board.
My Department is currently finalising arrangements for the delivery of these supports to survivors as soon as possible, and relevant information will be published on the Department’s website and communicated as widely as possible to survivors.
162. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm the list of schools in receipt of the Deis plus programme; to clarify the progress of the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10856/26]
View answerTackling educational disadvantage and helping students reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. 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 to introduce the DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year.
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 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, which will be published in the coming weeks. Future allocation of overall resources will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy and the availability of resources.
Schools will not be required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme. The process to identify schools for inclusion will be evidence-informed, using available data.
163. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the progress on the project at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10857/26]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers to was approved to enter my Department's pipeline of school building projects under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide five general classrooms, one music room, one multimedia room, one textiles room, one science lab, one prep area and ancillary. The project has been devolved for delivery to the Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB).
The Stage 1 (preliminary design) report for the project was received by my Department 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. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My Department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
The first tranche of 105 school building projects includes 80 large scale and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects. These projects were prioritised with a strong focus on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools.
I recognise that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
164. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the progress on the project at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10858/26]
View answerThe school to which the deputy refers was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme to provide two general classrooms, two SET Rooms, one construction room, one technology room and shared prep area, two project stores, two science labs with one prep area, one graphics room, one multimedia room, one music room, one textiles room and a four classroom SEN Base, one Staffroom and repurposing of existing staffroom into office space plus demolition of prefab. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.
The Stage 2a Report (detailed design) was received by my department 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. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
The first tranche of 105 school building projects includes 80 large scale and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects. These projects were prioritised with a strong focus on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools.
I recognise that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
165. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the progress on the project at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10859/26]
View answerThe school to which the deputy refers was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme for the provision of four mainstream classrooms, two special education tuition rooms, one textiles room, two science labs and prep area, two DCG rooms, one art room and storage area, and a two classroom special education needs (SEN) base. The project has been devolved for delivery to the Longford Westmeath Education & Training Board (LWETB).
My Department has received the stage 1 (preliminary design) report which 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. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
The first tranche of 105 school building projects includes 80 large scale and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects. These projects were prioritised with a strong focus on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools.
I recognise that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
