Wednesday, 4 Mar 2026

Home Help Service

Questions (142)

Thomas Gould

Question:

142. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a parent accesses home help tuition for a person with disabilities who is not currently attending school. [17439/26]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth

My department's Home Tuition Grant Schemes provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.

The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the scheme. Circular 0047/2025 provides information in relation to the 2025/2026 Home Tuition Grant Scheme and can be accessed by clicking on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/circulars/home-tuition-grant-scheme-2025-2026-special-education-component/.

The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for:

(a) Pre-School Children with autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria

(b) Children seeking a Special School or Special Class placement

(c) Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school

(d) Students, enrolled in schools, with school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school

Under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, the principle that home tuition cannot be provided as an alternative to school attendance applies.

It is open to the parents or legal guardians to contact the Special Education Section for guidance on the application process and to seek information on the eligibility criteria for the various strands of the scheme.

Alternatively, should the Deputy wish to provide the department with the relevant contact details, an official will make direct contact with the parents or legal guardians to offer assistance.

Contact details for the Home Tuition Section are as follows:

Address:

Special Education Section

Department of Education and Youth

Cornamaddy

Athlone

County Westmeath

N37 X659

Email: special_education@education.gov.ie

Telephone: (090) 648 4187

State Examinations

Questions (143)

Robert O'Donoghue

Question:

143. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the decision, following Budget 2026, to reintroduce State examination fees for Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle students in 2026, ending the temporary waiver that had been in place in recent years; the expected revenue to be generated from charging €116 per entry for Leaving Certificate and Leaving Certificate Applied candidates and €109 per entry for Junior Cycle candidates; the estimated number of students who will be required to pay these fees; if she will reconsider this decision in light of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis affecting families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17441/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

Following the Government’s Budget 2026 announcement, the temporary measures that applied under the cost of living supports for the past number of years, under which examination entry fees were waived, are no longer in place.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) initially notified schools in October 2025 that examination entry fees will apply in 2026, at the same level as when they were last charged in 2019, that is €116 per entry for a Senior Cycle/Leaving Certificate candidate and €109 per entry for a Junior Cycle candidate, and advised that full details of the fee collection arrangements will be notified to school authorities by the SEC in due course. Subsequent circulars to schools and notifications to candidates have also included notice of the charging of fees for the 2026 examinations. The rate of examination entry fees for Leaving Certificate is €116 per entry and for Junior Cycle it is €109 per entry. Full details of all fee rates are available at www.examinations.ie, link: www.examinations.ie/index.php?l=en&mc=ex&sc=ef.

In line with the arrangements which applied when fees were last charged, candidates who hold a full medical card, or who are covered for all services on a parent or guardian’s full medical card, are exempt from examination fees.

The Deputy may wish to note that the rate of examination entry fees has not been increased since 2012.

As part of Budget 2025 Cost of Living measures, €12m was allocated to the SEC in 2025 to allow the continuation of the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate entry fee waivers.

School Facilities

Questions (144)

Erin McGreehan

Question:

144. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the additional school accommodation application submitted by a school (details supplied); when the Department expects to complete its assessment of the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17443/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for additional accommodation. On foot of this application modular accommodation comprising two Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms, and one Special Education Tuition (SET) classroom was delivered in April 2024 and is currently in place and operational. Modular accommodation provides a high-quality, modern learning environment that is both functional and adaptable. It offers a well-designed, comfortable space that effectively meets the school’s current needs while allowing flexibility for future requirements.

My Department manages the progression of the existing pipeline of projects within the context of the NDP capital allocation for the Department of Education and Youth, the recently published NDP Implementation Plan and the Infrastructure Guidelines. As for all capital projects of this nature, this project is subject to the due diligence required under the public Infrastructure Guidelines.

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.

School Accommodation

Questions (145, 158, 159, 160, 161)

Erin McGreehan

Question:

145. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the additional school accommodation application submitted by a school (details supplied) when the Department expects to complete its assessment of the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17444/26]

View answer

Ged Nash

Question:

158. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the school accommodation crisis at a school (details supplied) in County Louth; when the two promised mainstream classrooms and a second special class will be delivered at the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17823/26]

View answer

Ged Nash

Question:

159. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to address the health and safety concerns of staff, students and parents of a school (details supplied) in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17824/26]

View answer

Ged Nash

Question:

160. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider inclusion of a school (details supplied) in County Louth and its accommodation needs in the next tranche of NDP-funded projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17825/26]

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Ged Nash

Question:

161. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will provide interim modular accommodation in the short-term to address the accommodation needs of a school (details supplied) in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17826/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

I propose to take Questions Nos. 145, 158, 159, 160 and 161 together.

I can confirm that my department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation under the department's Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question.

As the Deputy is aware, I have recently published the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors. 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. Six school?projects in County Louth were included in the 105 prioritised projects in the first tranche of projects to progress to tender or construction over the course of 2026 and 2027. This list of projects were prioritised from those projects in the department’s pipeline which were sufficiently advanced to enable them to go to tender or construction over the course of 2026 and 2027.

A department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools.

In general, demographics have been falling at primary level and are due to continue to decrease. Therefore the Department considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity at primary level in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs.

Given the general downward direction of overall enrolments in the area the department's focus for the assessment of such additional accommodation applications will be as follows:

- Analyse the extent to which enrolments at this school and neighbouring schools are serving the local area in the first instance. This will identify if some of the pressures on local capacity are arising from the enrolment of pupils from outside the local area where there may be other school provision opportunities available to them.

- In assessing accommodation capacity at this school and neighbouring schools, an assessment will need to be made on how best to utilise existing capacity in the context of both mainstream and SEN requirements in the local area.

The above sets the parameters for the department’s decision-making processes and this will, where necessary, involve engagement with school patrons and relevant individual schools as appropriate.

In relation to the opening of a second special class at the school in question the school authority is advised to contact their local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). In relation to matters of health and safety Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care.

The Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their admissions legislation. Schools are required to manage enrolments and keep within their building capacity.

It is within the above context that a decision on additional accommodation for this school will be made and the school authority will be notified directly as soon as a decision is made.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (146)

Paul Murphy

Question:

146. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the case of a school (details supplied); if she will instruct her Department to engage with the school to resolve the issue. [17455/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings to provide three mainstream classrooms, one special education tuition room, and a two-classroom special educational needs (SEN) base. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.

The project is currently at Stage 2a (detailed design) of the architectural design process. A Stage 2a report has been received and is under review from both a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, are subject to the full due-diligence requirements set out in my Department’s Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.

In line with the National Development Plan (NDP), the progression of all ASA projects is managed within the Department’s overall prioritisation process. As the Deputy will be aware, my department 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, my 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 my 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.

Departmental Data

Questions (147)

Jen Cummins

Question:

147. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown of boys and girls from the Killester Raheny Clontarf school planning area who leave the area for secondary schooling each year from 2015 to 2025, in tabular form, inclusive. [17459/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

The number of pupils residing in the Killester-Raheny-Clontarf SPA that attend secondary schools inside and outside of the SPA are tabulated below. The 2025/26 data is currently preliminary and as such is not included

Year	Inside SPA	Outside SPA
2015	1718	1433
2016	1697	1427
2017	1660	1484
2018	1729	1569
2019	1711	1562
2020	1781	1496
2021	1839	1549
2022	1767	1548
2023	1821	1557
2024	1838	1551

Schools Building Projects

Questions (148)

Jen Cummins

Question:

148. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the projected timeline for building works at a school (details supplied). [17666/26]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

The brief for the school referred to by the Deputy is the development of a new 16 classroom Primary School and 5 classes for children with Special Educational Needs at Janeville, Carrigaline, Co. Cork.

The project is currently at Stage 1 - Preliminary Design (assessment of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme).

As part of the Stage 1 process the Design Team submit a Stage 1 Report to my Department. A preferred design option, including the scope and extent of works to be carried out form part of this report.

The Stage 1 Report was received in my Department in January 2025 and upon completion of the Departments due diligence review, the Stage 1 stakeholders meeting took place on 24th March 2025 where the Principal, a representative from Educate Together, all Design Team members, the Project Manager and Department officials were in attendance. The meeting concluded with agreement that the Design Team would explore further design layout options.

Further to this on the 30th of April an architectural workshop took place between the Design Team Architect and the Department Senior Architect.

My department received the full Design Team Stage 1 Addendum Report in August 2025 and this report is currently under review by my Department.

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.

The 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. This list includes 19 projects in County Cork.

These projects are in addition to €781.77 million in capital funding for Cork schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 155 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are also currently 19 school projects in Cork under construction.

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 Owenabue ETNS will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (149)

Jen Cummins

Question:

149. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are sanctions for an ASD class in any school in Tramore; and if any school in Tramore has been discussed as a potential for an ASD class. [17668/26]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth

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 advocates that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.

The NCSE actively encourage expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing their interest.

When assessing the needs in the local area, the NCSE identify schools in the neighbouring vicinity with available special class vacancies or capacity and assess their capability with consideration to demographical and statistical data.

In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible the NCSE prioritise working with medium and larger primary schools who do not already have a special class and have available accommodation to accommodate new special class. This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases the number of schools with special classes providing parents with greater choice and reducing the distances that some students are travelling to access a special class place.

My department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE began sanctioning new special classes in January of this year, which is several months earlier than last year. 351 have been sanctioned to date and many more new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of new classes provides clarity for parents and allows schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. The vast majority of new special classes being announced are being provided in available school accommodation which is being reconfigured as a special class.

Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.

Schools seeking to establish new special classes should continue to engage with the NCSE at local level. In sanctioning new special classes, the NCSE have due regard to the level of need in an area and the existing provision, including how many places are expected to be available through the normal movement of students from primary to post-primary or finishing school. Budget 2026 provides funding for over 400 new special classes.

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.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (150)

Jen Cummins

Question:

150. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the new build on a school (details supplied) has not progressed; the time frame for this build; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17669/26]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Youth

The Major building project referred to by the Deputy will deliver a 1,000 pupil Post Primary School and accommodation, including 6 classrooms for children with special educational needs at Le Fanu Road, Ballyfermot.

This project is currently planned to be delivered as part of Phase 2 of my Department's ADAPT 4 Programme - Programme Innovate.

This programme uses a professional external Programme Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Integrated Project Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning, to Tender and Construction.

This programme will be led by (IPT's) Integrated Project Teams consisting of highly skilled and experienced design professionals, architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors and various other consultants to deliver the projects.

The Project Manager was appointed in Q3 2023 and is in the process of preparing documentation for the tender process for the appointment of IPTs for the Phase 2 bundle of projects, which includes this project.