Written Answers Nos. 275-294
276. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that the process undertaken by the National Council for Special Education in allocating special classes is open, transparent and accountable; and if any independent review or audit process applies to such decisions. [23360/26]
View answer279. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the level of transparency in the allocation of special classes by the National Council for Special Education, given that this involves the expenditure of public funds; and if measures are being considered to improve openness, transparency and accountability in this process. [23363/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 279 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 advocates that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE through the Parent Notify process that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child.
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. 387 have been sanctioned to date and many more new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
The information held on the department's Geographical Information System (GIS), particularly in relation to student demographics, is a key component when forecasting the need for additional special class and special school places. My department and the NCSE have undertaken analysis of the trends in special class and special school provision over recent years by county and local school planning area. In total there are 314 local school planning areas.
My department and the NCSE identify the need for special educational provision with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability. In addition, 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 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.
277. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration has been given to introducing a formal appeals mechanism for schools whose applications for special classes through the National Council for Special Education are unsuccessful; and the plans to establish such a mechanism. [23361/26]
View answer278. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason schools that apply for special classes through the National Council for Special Education are not routinely informed when their application is unsuccessful; and if steps will be taken to ensure all applicant schools receive timely and clear communication regarding the outcome of their application. [23362/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 277 and 278 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.
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.
280. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 841 of 18 March 2026, which was unanswered in the reply provided, when a NEPS assessment will be made available to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23418/26]
View answerWhere a parent has a concern regarding their child’s progress, they should, in the first instance, discuss this with the school principal or the child's teacher. As a school-based service, requests for NEPS involvement must be made by the school principal or other designated staff member.
NEPS encourages schools to support children and young people using the Continuum of Support, whereby school staff use a problem-solving approach employing evidence-informed interventions for children and young people with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. The response to intervention is then monitored and recorded in the Student Support File. The teachers, parents and child are involved in this process. This model means that a child or young person does not need a diagnosis of a disability in order to access additional supports in school.
If a school has concerns that a child or young person is not making reasonable progress following evidence informed support and intervention, the school may prioritise the involvement of NEPS to support the identification of need process. NEPS does not maintain waiting lists. Where a school temporarily does not have an assigned psychologist due to a vacancy, it continues to have access to a range of NEPS services including the NEPS Advisory Support Line. This line provides access for schools to support and advice from a Senior Educational Psychologist in NEPS via a designated phone line.
281. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average, median, maximum and minimum primary school class sizes for the Cork City and Cork County Council areas from 2019 to date in 2026, in tabular form. [23419/26]
View answerPlease find attached requested information for the years 2019–2024 inclusive, 2024 being the latest year we have class size data. We expect to publish class data for 2025-2026 as part of our 2025-2026 final enrolment data sets in June 2026
The figures are based on mainstream classes in mainstream schools and were collated from the relevant Class Size tables. The tables are published on the Departments of Education and Youth's website and can be found at the link below;
www.gov.ie/en/collection/class-size-information-at-individual-primary-school-level/
282. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of appeals to the NCSE, by county; and the number of successful appeals, over each of the past five years. [23420/26]
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.
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.
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 achieve their full potential.
283. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address the need to provide additional funding for sports halls in schools. [23421/26]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the provision of GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms, at primary and post primary level respectively, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings and are part of the overall School Building Programme. GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms form part of the overall construction cost of a project. Consequently, the data in respect of the individual costs of all GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms is not readily available. The school accommodation projects already delivered and the current status of all ongoing projects by county is listed on the Department’s website and this is updated on a monthly basis as part of our overall communication.
I can confirm that almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to my department that they either have a PE Hall/Sports gym, access to a nearby PE Hall/Sports Gym, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall/sports gym.
Practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. My department provides professional and technical support and guidance documentation to design teams appointed to progress school capital projects including PE and GP halls. Approved projects are assisted with professional advice based on the published technical guidance available on gov.ie as they progress through the various stages of architectural design.
The Deputy will be aware that I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. A key part of NDP rollout is the completion of circa 300 school building projects currently in construction. The majority of these projects are expected to be completed in 2026 and will deliver over 30,000 school places in total including 14 PE halls. Progress will continue to be made under the NDP Investment Plan on both new and modernised PE Hall and GP Room provision as part of the rollout of new schools and large-scale projects in the existing pipeline. Funding will be invested to support curricular delivery and well-being across schools which will prioritise the development of PE halls and sporting facilities (including yards and play areas) in conjunction with the Sports Capital Fund to deliver for both schools and communities. Additional initiatives to be rolled out over the course of the 2026 to 2030 NDP period include a PE Hall programme targeting post-primary schools that do not yet have dedicated PE Hall facilities, for delivery from 2029 onwards.
I can also confirm that my department's new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme provides a mechanism for school authorities to make small-scale improvements to school buildings and also schools' external areas such as outdoor play spaces. Schools can also use their minor works grant to upgrade outdoor play areas while repairs to existing areas may be considered under the department’s Emergency Works Scheme.
284. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update regarding the recent changes to the allocation model for special education. [23422/26]
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 advocates that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
Special education teachers provide additional teaching support to children attending mainstream classes with special educational needs using a wide variety of teaching approaches.
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 based on their profile of need.
There is no change to the SET allocation model for mainstream classes for the 2025/26 school year and there is none planned for 2026/27 school year.
The educational profile of each school is now updated annually and SET allocations are advised to schools as part of the staffing arrangements circular and each school is provided with additional detail on their allocation by email from the NCSE at the earliest possible date each year.
The allocations of special education teaching posts for 2026/27 school year are presently being finalised and will be issued to schools shortly.
Any school who has a concern about their allocation at that time will have the opportunity to request a review of their SET allocation. Details of the review process will be available on the NCSE website following publication of the 2026/27 allocations.
The NCSE can provide advisor support to schools at any time to support the deployment of its SET allocation.
It must be noted that the outcome of the SET Review Allocation Process is final and the department has no role in the review process.
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.
285. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress to date in advancing a project (details supplied); when this proposal will advance to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23461/26]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the school was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide two science labs and one prep area, one home economics room, one music room, one textiles room, a two classroom special education needs (SEN) base and ancillary accommodation.
The Stage 1 (preliminary design) report was submitted to my Department remains under review. Given the scale and complexity of this project the report will require a thorough and intensive review from both a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence as outlined in the Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
Although this project is not within the first tranche of school building projects recently published in the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan, it remains part of the Department’s overall pipeline of school building projects. The 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.
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.
286. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress to date in advancing a project (details supplied); when this proposal will advance to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23462/26]
View answerThe school to which the deputy refers was approved a school building project under the Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for one engineering room with prep area, one construction prep/store area and one home economics room. The project is devolved for delivery to the school authority.
I can confirm that this project received Departmental approval to proceed to Stage 2b (Developed Design) in early 2023. The Department received the Stage 2b report in March 2026, and it is now undergoing a detailed technical and cost evaluation. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the Infrastructure Guidelines. Given the detailed nature of the evaluation process, the need to ensure full cost compliance, and the requirement to align the project with the prioritisation framework under the National Development Plan, this review process is necessarily thorough.
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.
287. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress to date in advancing a project (details supplied); when this proposal will advance to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23463/26]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the school was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide eight general classrooms, four special education tuition rooms, one music room, one textiles room, one art room, one multimedia room, two science laboratories and preparation area, one library and a general purpose/dining hall.
The Stage 2b report submitted in October 2025 remains under review. Given the scale and complexity of this project the Stage 2b report will require a thorough and intensive review from both a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence as outlined in the Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
Although this project is not within the first tranche of school building projects recently published in the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan, it remains part of the Department’s overall pipeline of school building projects. The 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.
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.
288. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the proposed reform of the assessment of need process will ensure that gifted and twice exceptional children those who are both highly able and who present with additional neurodevelopmental or learning needs are not inadvertently excluded from appropriate identification and support; if access to cognitive assessment will remain available where clinically indicated, particularly in cases where a child's strengths may mask underlying difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23468/26]
View answerInclusive education is at the core of the department’s policy which requires differentiated teaching approaches to cater for the varying levels of ability in the classroom, from providing additional supports to those experiencing difficulty to ensuring appropriate levels of challenge and enrichment for exceptionally able students.
Under the section in the Programme for Government to support students with additional educational needs there is a commitment to introduce a specific programme to support students with exceptional abilities.
To provide a coherent vision for provision in the short and longer term, my Department established an internal working group and is currently developing policy and best practice on a number of fronts. This includes new initiatives and pilots in a number of schools and education centres.
My Department has recently commenced engagement with the NCCA with a view to reviewing, updating and publishing the guidelines in line with current best practice at the earliest possible opportunity.
The Assessment of Need process is under the remit of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality. Questions in relation to the revised Assessment of Need process should be directed to colleagues in that Department.
289. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if further progress has been made to date in developing a model for smaller schools, that due to their size do not meet the threshold of six pupils with special needs in order to have a special class sanctioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23485/26]
View answerThe 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.
Budget 2026 has provided funding for 3,000 new special educational places within our education system and the NCSE is currently examining where this provision is best placed for the 2026/27 school year.
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.
However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level and there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.
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. 387 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. Each special class at primary level is allocated 1 teacher and 2 SNAs and at post-primary level, schools receive 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
Of the 387 new special classes, 256 are being established in primary schools and 131 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county. Further details on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
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 achieve their full potential.
290. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be included in the next expansion of a programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23486/26]
View answerThank you for your correspondence and for highlighting the excellent support provided by the school to its students over the years.
As advised in Parlimentary Question 11570/26 Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegard Naughton, and I announced details of the 45 schools in the initial phase of the ETS on Friday the 6th of February.
It is important to highlight that this is the initial phase of the ETS rollout providing supports in Carlow, Cork, Dublin, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Meath, Monaghan, Tipperary, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.
The NCSE carried out a recruitment campaign for Senior and Staff Grade Occupational Therapists and Speech and Language Therapists positions in these counties and interviews for same completed recently. It is anticipated offers of employment will be extended to successful candidates, over the coming weeks.
The continued rollout of the ETS will be supported by phased recruitment campaigns throughout 2026 to ensure therapy needs across the school system are met, including a recruitment campaign in Donegal, Kerry, Cavan and Waterford by the end of June 2026. A rolling national campaign will continue later in 2026.
While Holy Family Special School cannot be offered ETS strand 1 supports in this cohort the school can avail of NCSE regional therapy provides national therapy led Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) events. This therapy-led TPL, with follow-on implementation support, is available to this school and is accessible online at: https://ncse.ie/tpl
My Department and the National Council for Special Education (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.
291. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that a special class will be sanctioned in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23508/26]
View answerThe 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.
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. 387 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. Each special class at primary level is allocated 1 teacher and 2 SNAs and at post-primary level, schools receive 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
Of the 387 new special classes, 256 are being established in primary schools and 131 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county with 5 new special classes confirmed for Cavan so far. Further details on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
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 achieve their full potential.
292. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the position in relation to school planning in the Ashbourne school planning area in Meath; the existing and projected, capacity; how additional demand will be accommodated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23509/26]
View answerThe provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority of mine.
In order to plan for school place needs my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my department’s projections of school place requirements.
Demographic data shows that there is an underlining reducing demand for school places in the Ashbourne School Planning Area. The Primary school enrolment figures peaked in 2023 with Child Benefit data projecting a decline in Junior Infant enrolment 2026 – 2029. The Post Primary school enrolment figure peaked in 2022 with current post primary school enrolment in decline year on year.
My department is aware of plans for significant residential developments in Ashbourne. The impact of this has been taken into account when planning for future school place needs.
My 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. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
Since 2020, the Department of Education has provided €473.11 million in capital funding for Meath schools. Over this period, a total of 62 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation.
There are currently 13 school projects in Meath under construction. Another 7 school projects will go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027, and this summer, 10 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Summer Works Scheme / Climate Action scheme.
In addition, since 2020 a total of 125 special classes have been opened in Meath, of which 18 were sanctioned for September 2026.
Furthermore, a total capital ceiling of €7.55 billion for 2026-2030 was allocated to my department under the NDP Review. This is a very significant investment in our Education and Youth sectors and will help deliver on our commitment to have a world-class education system that supports every learner to reach their full potential. Our sectoral investment plan published last month sets out the department’s approach to prioritised investment in school infrastructure to ensure that every child has a school place and to support the overall operation of the school system and Youth Sector in terms of capital infrastructure. There is a strong focus in our plan on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
Families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one.
293. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Education and Youth the forward planning methodologies and datasets being used to ensure the timely or advance delivery of social infrastructure in the rapidly developing towns of Meath east, in particular the provision of new schools’ facilities and the upgrade of existing school facilities (details supplied). [23515/26]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
All child benefit and enrolment data is also geocoded to small area level which informs detailed granular analysis of the current and projected future school going population in urban areas of demographic pressures.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme in these areas may be viewed on my department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
The department will continue to liaise with Meath County Council in respect of their county development plan and any associated local area plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.
294. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23127/26]
View answerThe Government is acutely aware of the housing challenges faced by many sectors of society. Ireland's new housing plan Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025- 2030, contains a suite of actions that have and continue to increase the provision of housing through accelerating supply and increasing the affordability of homes for our citizens.
The Local Authority Home Loan is a Government-backed mortgage for first-time buyers and certain other credit-worthy eligible applicants who have been refused a mortgage through a regular mortgage lender or who have received an insufficient mortgage offer. The loan is for the purchase of new or second-hand residential properties and for self-builds. It can also be availed of for the purchase of homes through Affordable Housing Schemes, with the exception of the First Home Scheme. The Local Authority Home Loan is available nationwide from all local authorities. More information on the Local Authority Home Loan and the criteria for a self-build property is available at the following link: https://localauthorityhomeloan.ie/information/self-build/.
In addition the First Home Scheme provides finance to help first time buyers, self-builders or those making a fresh start to bridge the gap between a deposit and mortgage, and the price of a new home. This Scheme takes a percentage ownership of a home, which a customer can buy back later. For more information on the scheme visit www.firsthomescheme.ie. Specific information on the self build product for those building their own home can be found here: www.firsthomescheme.ie/faqs/about-the-self-build-product/.
Information and guidance on other affordable housing supports in place for First Time Buyers, fresh starters and other eligible applicants is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/0d279-doors-open/, and includes information on the schemes below.
• Local Authority Affordable Purchase Scheme
• Local Authority Purchase and Renovation Loan
• Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant
• Cost Rental
The Help to Buy incentive is an initiative of Revenue and the Department of Finance, and does not come under the remit of my Department. Revenue and the Department of Finance should be contacted in relation to that scheme’s operation. Revenue can be contacted at the following link: www.revenue.ie/en/contact-us/index.aspx.
