Written Answers Nos. 552-571
552. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools receiving supports because of their disadvantaged status before the introduction of the DEIS programme; the number included in DEIS when first introduced; the expansions which have occurred since in the coverage of schools at primary and post primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30091/26]
View answerAddressing educational disadvantage in all schools is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme provides targeted support to schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. It currently includes almost 1,200 schools - over 30% of all schools - and supports around 250,000 students, or one in four nationwide.
The DEIS programme is the Governments key policy initiative for addressing educational disadvantage at school level. It was introduced in 2006 and continues to provide a range of targeted supports to schools in the programme. The DEIS programme targets additional resources where they are most needed, in schools with the highest concentration of children and young people experiencing educational disadvantage.
Schools have been included in the DEIS Programme in three different tranches. The first groups were included in 2006, when the programme was first established. At primary level a survey of school principals provided data on the percentage of students in the school with characteristics that would reflect disadvantage or affluence. At post-primary level centralised information was used to identify schools for inclusion: the percentage of students with medical cards; school level retention rates for several cohorts; and Junior Cycle examination achievement data over a period of time.
The DEIS review process in 2015 and 2016 found that schools did not want to return to a survey-based approach given the additional administrative burden this put on them. It was considered unfair to expect schools to gather sensitive socioeconomic data on their school communities.
A DEIS identification methodology was developed in 2017, to inform an objective approach to the selection of the second cohort of schools added to this scheme. As a result the DEIS programme was expanded to 79 schools, 64 primary schools and 15 post primary schools.
For the most recent extension, in 2022, the identification model was further developed to include a weighted approach that accounted for the breadth and depth of disadvantage. The refined identification model included additional elements that allowed for the disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma students, and students experiencing homelessness and residing in international protection accommodation, outside of the HP index. This resulted in the DEIS programme being expanded to 310 schools, 284 primary schools and 38 post-primary schools.
At each point in time, 2006, 2017 and 2022 the schools found to have the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage were the were included in the DEIS programme.
553. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children supported by SEN programmes before the NCSE was established; the way that number has grown since the NCSE was put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30092/26]
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).
Initially founded as an independent statutory body in December 2003, the NCSE was formally established under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 (EPSEN Act) on 1 October 2005. The NCSE was established to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs.
In 2003/2004 the total student population across primary, post primary and special schools was approximately 793,479 with approximately 16,058 in either special classes or special schools.
Since then demand for education services has grown significantly with approximately 965,000 students in our schools. There has also been a marked increase in the number of children with additional needs. Today, one in four children, or around 240,000 children, require extra supports.
The autism prevalence rate is generally accepted to be in the region of 5%. There are 9,460 children in special schools and more than 22,000 children in special classes, with additional children supported in mainstream 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.
554. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way the criteria for selecting schools for inclusion in the DEIS urban and rural schemes have changed since its introduction and differ from the programmes which preceded them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30093/26]
View answerThe DEIS programme is the department’s key policy initiative to tackle concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. It provides a targeted range of additional supports to schools serving the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage.
The criteria for identifying schools for inclusion in DEIS have developed over time. Earlier programmes addressing educational disadvantage operated through a number of separate supports and schemes. The DEIS programme, introduced in 2005, brought those supports together into a more integrated national framework, with differentiated supports for schools, including DEIS Urban Band 1, DEIS Urban Band 2, DEIS Rural and DEIS post-primary schools.
The current approach is based on an objective, data-based identification model. The refined DEIS identification model uses information from department enrolment databases and the Pobal HP Deprivation Index. The model was refined to take account of a broader range and severity of disadvantage, including borderline disadvantaged areas and weighted categories of disadvantage.
Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the most recent expansion of the DEIS programme. The refined model was applied fairly and equally to all schools. In 2022, the programme was extended to additional schools and a number of existing DEIS schools were reclassified. An appeals process was also provided at the time.
The Minister recently launched the new DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the DEIS Plus scheme. DEIS Plus represents a further development of the department’s approach and is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based supports to schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people experiencing educational disadvantage. The department has also published a DEIS Plus Identification Model technical paper on its website, setting out the basis for that model.
The Department will continue to keep the operation of DEIS and DEIS Plus under review to ensure that supports are targeted where they are most needed and that schools receive the right support at the right time.
555. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way the criteria for allocating resources teachers and special needs assistants for the support of children with different categories of special education needs have changed since the NCSE was established and differ from those used by her Department before its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30094/26]
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.
Special education teachers provide additional teaching to students 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 identified and recorded teaching needs of students in mainstream classes. The mainstream class teacher has primary responsibility for the progress and care of all children in their classrooms, including children with additional learning needs.
The SET allocation model is a distribution model to ensure that the children with the greatest level of need in mainstream can get access to additional teaching support. It provides a transparent means of allocating Special Education Teaching (SET) resources to best meet the needs of children and to ensure consistency and equity in the system.
The SET allocation model distributes the total available number of Special Education Teaching posts in line with each school’s profile of need.
The model makes an allocation based on a number of inputs, including enrolment numbers. It also uses school-level data from standardised tests (in the Primary school model) and Junior Cycle data (in the Post Primary model) to reflect levels of overall additional learning need in the schools. It also incorporates data on students who have been granted exemptions from tests as this indicates additional learning need is required by them. As all children and young people from disadvantaged areas may not attend a DEIS school, the model applies a small value to schools based on individual pupils Eircode and the HP deprivation index and this is to ensure that schools who are not in receipt of the additional DEIS resources are allocated resources to support their potential additional learning need.
Special needs assistants (SNA)s play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools. They help ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
SNA posts are allocated to schools as a school-based resource. Principals/board of managements deploy SNAs within schools to meet the care support requirements of the students enrolled whom SNA support has been allocated. This provides schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for the allocation of SNAs nationwide.
It is important to note that there have been increases in SNAs in all counties and across all education settings since 2020, including mainstream, special classes and special schools.
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.
556. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will indicate the reviews of DEIS commissioned by her Department before and since DEIS was introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30095/26]
View answer558. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures of outcome and impact her Department tracks to measure the achievements of DEIS; the way in which they have evolved since its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30097/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 556 and 558 together.
Since the introduction of the DEIS programme, the approach to measuring outcomes has developed over time. The department monitors a range of indicators, including attendance and retention, literacy and numeracy outcomes, and progression through the education system. This is informed by inspection findings from the Department of Education and Youth Inspectorate and participation in supports such as the School Completion Programme.
The DEIS Plan 2017 set out a more structured framework for monitoring and evaluation, with defined targets across key outcome areas. Building on this, the recently launched DEIS Strategy to 2035 places a renewed emphasis on evidence-informed policy and strengthened monitoring and evaluation, including improved use of data to track learner outcomes and progression.
A key action under the strategy is the development and implementation of a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework to track and measure the impact of the implementation of the new DEIS strategy. This framework will build on what we currently use to measure outcomes and impacts, such as literacy and numeracy results, attendance, attainment, and retention data. Annual progress reports will be published each year to track the progress the actions outlined in the implementation plan.
In July 2023, Minister Foley announced that the OECD had been invited to conduct a review of Ireland’s resource allocation approach to address educational disadvantage at school level. The OECD ‘Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland’, published in July 2024 further recognised Ireland as having an equitable education system. International studies such as PISA, TIMSS and PIRLS reflect this equitable system and show that children at risk of educational disadvantage in Ireland have higher outcomes in literacy and numeracy than children from similar backgrounds in most other countries. Nationally, findings outlined in the NAMER DEIS report published in 2023 show no evidence of a decline in average reading or mathematics scores between 2014 and 2021 in Urban Band 1 or Urban Band 2 schools.
The Department will continue to keep the programme under review to ensure that supports are effectively targeted and delivering improved outcomes for children and young people at risk of experiencing educational disadvantage.
557. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of reviews of special education needs provision commissioned by her Department before and since the NCSE was established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30096/26]
View answer562. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the correlation between schools with high needs, under measures of disadvantage and measures of special education need have been evaluated; if so, what does it show; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30101/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 557 and 562 together.
I propose to take PQs 557 and 562 together.
This government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs and along with addressing educational disadvantage is a priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme is a key policy initiative for addressing concentrated educational disadvantage at school level and currently supports almost 1,200 primary and post primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 builds on this commitment by allocating an additional €16.5 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027, to support the implementation of a new DEIS Strategy and the introduction of the DEIS Plus scheme.
My colleague, the Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegard Naughton, recently introduced the new DEIS Strategy to 2035, which includes the DEIS Plus scheme and represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS. DEIS Plus is designed to provide enhanced, evidence based supports to a cohort of 121 schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage, identified through a refined, data based model drawing on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. This targeted approach ensures that additional resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact, and forms a core element of the wider €48 million full year investment across both the DEIS Strategy and the DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year.
The DEIS Strategy also acknowledges that students at risk of educational disadvantage are present in all schools. It therefore focuses on improving outcomes, encouraging innovation, and ensuring schools can access the right supports when needed. The strategy sets out actions to develop an agile resource allocation model to support children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage in all primary and post primary schools. These actions focus on the continued enhancement of data to measure school level disadvantage and the development of a more flexible resource allocation model that can respond to change in school needs and provide the right resources at the right time.
Inspectorate support helps improve education provision for all children and young people. They promote best practice and school improvement by advising teachers, principals and boards of management in schools. The Inspectorate shares findings from inspections with the education system to support the overarching education, inclusion and equity goals to which educators and policy makers in Ireland aspire. Their report, Towards High-Quality Learning Experiences for All: Provision for children and young people with special educational needs in primary and post-primary schools (https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/towards-high-quality-learning-experiences-for-all-provision-for-children-and-young-peo.pdf), provides important insight.
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.
559. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures of outcome and impact her Department tracks to measure the achievements of the special education needs programmes; the way in which they have evolved since its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30098/26]
View answer563. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department collects evidence to shed light on the comparative effectiveness of different interventions within disadvantage or special needs programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30102/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 563 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.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that no matter where a child is enrolled they have access to the required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals. At the heart of this are the special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) dedicated to ensuring each child is valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
Supporting this is the variety of differentiated teaching approaches encouraged by my department to accommodate the varying levels of ability in classrooms. This facilitates the inclusion of all learners to access the school curriculum in a meaningful way.
When allocating resources schools take into account the learning needs of students as evidenced by performance in schools but also supported where relevant by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a student may have. Specific interventions are therefore tailored, by the school, to the individual’s needs, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty, disability or condition.
It is important to recognise that teachers use a number of specialist programmes to support students with special educational needs. At all times, the focus of the department and the NCSE is on doing what is right for the child and underpinning any educational interventions with evidence-based approaches. For that reason, the department does not promote one particular approach for meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and recognises that children may benefit most where a range of teaching approaches is employed by the class teachers.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) supports schools in implementing the Continuum of Support framework with each school taking responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and supports for children and young people with special educational needs.
The NCSE also provides support for teachers with training needs in special education, through the NCSE support service which manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training needs. This support service provides Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) to teachers of students with a variety of special educational needs. The NCSE continues to update current TPL courses for teachers and designs new TPL courses in response to the needs of teachers.
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.
560. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools expected to qualify for DEIS+ status; what the extra spend for a school of comparable size will be compared to a DEIS urban band 1 school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30099/26]
View answerAddressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government. The new DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year, launched as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS. DEIS Plus is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based supports to a cohort of 121 schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage, identified through a refined data-based model that draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.
This approach ensures that additional resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact, and forms a core element of the wider €48 million full-year investment across both the DEIS Strategy and the DEIS Plus scheme. Approximately 30,000 children and young people attending DEIS Plus schools will benefit from these targeted supports. Under DEIS Plus and the wider DEIS programme, resources are allocated to schools based on enrolment and assessed level of disadvantage. Further information on the supports provided under the DEIS programme, including DEIS Plus, can be found at gov.ie/deis.
561. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the feasibility of commencing the remaining sections of the Education for Persons with Special Education Needs Act 2004 has been assessed by her Department; the resource and organisational implications of such a move; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30100/26]
View answerThe Review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 was published in June 2025 following an extensive consultation, with over 28,000 responses to surveys, along with focus groups, including contributions from children and young people. On 1 July 2025, Minister McEntee and I addressed the Dáil on the findings. The Review contains 51 recommendations across 16 themes, addressing both policy and legislative change.
As part of the review, both commenced and uncommenced sections were thoroughly considered to ensure a robust legislative foundation. Many factors contributed to the non-commencement of these sections, but in essence what they would require from schools and teachers, from the NCSE and the Health Boards/HSE, and more broadly from the State was perceived to be unrealisable. The sections when drafted were overly bureaucratic and the issue of funding was also an issue to ensure these particular sections were commenced, at the time. The sections were delivered via policy through the Department and in many cases exceeded the original terms of the drafted legislation. The report on the Review of The Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004 can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/consultations/epsen-review-consultation/.
The Implementation Plan will be published in Q2 2026, which will guide how we move forward, strengthening the legislative and policy foundations of inclusive education and ensuring proper implementation across Government. This plan, which is currently being finalised, will set out concrete actions, timelines, and oversight arrangements to ensure delivery. Substantial work has been undertaken by the Department in developing the plan. This has involved detailed internal co-ordination across policy areas, along with extensive engagement with relevant stakeholders across the education sector, government departments and agencies. Several recommendations are already being progressed, including work on inclusive education pathways, and workforce professional learning. This plan will build on existing structures, including strengthening Student Support Plans, promoting more effective transitions between educational settings, and advancing the rights of the child.
Preparation for legislative amendments will begin in parallel, recognising that legislative change will be required to give effect to a number of the recommendations. The timing of draft Heads of a Bill will depend on the sequencing of policy development and consultation.
The Review and Implementation Plan together represent a significant step forward in strengthening inclusive education and ensuring that every child is supported to reach their potential.
564. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the basis on which modular accommodation under the additional school accommodation scheme is not being considered for a school (details supplied); whether the status of the building as a relatively new facility precludes such consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30123/26]
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 important objective. The Deputy will be aware that a key focus of the recently published NDP investment plan for the education and youth sector is the creation of additional places in special classes and special schools. It also emphasises the critical requirement to maximise the use of existing school accommodation.
The optimisation of existing school capacity is a key aspect of the Department’s infrastructure strategy. This supports an inclusive approach, addresses climate objectives and ensures value for money, recognising the many competing demands across the programme. Modular projects are targeted in contexts where existing capacity is not sufficient to deliver on school place requirements.
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. The department is guided by the NCSE in relation to the requirement for special classes in the first instance. When a special class has been sanctioned in a school by the NCSE, a sanction letter is then issued.
The NCSE is currently engaging with schools in the area referred to by the Deputy in advance of sanctioning further special classes. My department is liaising closely with the NCSE on this matter.
In relation to the specific school referenced by the Deputy, I can confirm that my department has received an application for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation scheme. My department is engaging with the NCSE and the school patron as part of considering this application. The Department will also engage directly with the school on the matter.
There are a number of core factors that the department must consider in relation to this and all applications. One factor is the advice of the NCSE in relation to the demand for special education places in the area and consideration of how the demand can most effectively be addressed across relevant schools. A second factor is the existing capacity at the school and ensuring that this is being fully optimised before any additional accommodation is considered. For the school under reference, a relevant consideration is that it has the benefit of a new school building with a dedicated two classroom special education needs base which includes a central activity space and suite of ancillary rooms. A third factor is the technical feasibility of additional accommodation, including any impact this might have on external play areas. Other key factors in assessing applications include demographic projections, timing of requirements, value for money, and affordability within NDP funding envelopes.
I can assure the Deputy that we will continue to engage with the school and its patron in reviewing relevant options for special class delivery, in conjunction with the ongoing consideration by the NCSE of special class requirements in the area.
565. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the identified need for additional autism class places in the catchment area of a school (details supplied); the steps being taken by her Department and the NCSE to meet this need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30124/26]
View answer566. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the consideration by the NCSE of additional autism class provision at a school (details supplied); the reasons a sanction has not yet issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30125/26]
View answer567. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps she will take to ensure that sufficient autism class places are provided in the local area of a school (details supplied); whether modular accommodation or other interim solutions will be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30126/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 565, 566 and 567 together.
The Government is committed to the continued accelerated provision of additional special class and special school places for 2026/27.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are the statutory body tasked with sanctioning new special education provision in our schools.
The NCSE has sanctioned 432 new special classes nationally, including 102 new special classes in Dublin, for the next school year 2026/2027 with more to follow in the coming weeks. This is a number of months ahead of last year and provides for greater certainty for families and more time for schools to plan for the establishment of new special classes.
I commend every school, including the school referred to by the Deputy, who express an interest in opening a new special class. As the Deputy knows, I visited the school last year and I know the good work they do in supporting children with additional needs. This school is already supporting three special classes and the focus for my department and the NCSE is working to provide new special classes in medium and larger primary schools with none or just 1 special class.
The school received a new school building comprising 16 mainstream classrooms and 2 class SEN base in 2023. A recently received application for 2 Special education needs modular classrooms under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is currently under consideration. However, as this is a relatively new school building the department would expect the school to prioritise utilisation of all existing capacity in the first instance.
There are resources available to support schools who have children who have needs beyond those catered for within the special classes and I would ask the school to continue to engage with the NCSE on accessing those supports. The NCSE is also engaging with parents locally and in the surrounding areas to ensure there is a range of provision available, including in Stapolin NS.
My Department and the NCSE will continue to keep the matter under review.
568. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address the capacity pressures within the visiting teacher service for the visually impaired, in light of recent presentations to the Oireachtas by advocacy groups (details supplied); the measures being taken to ensure timely and adequate support for children with visual impairments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30196/26]
View answerThe Department and the NCSE engage regularly with organisations supporting the blind and visually impaired on how best to support those students.
The Visiting Teachers for the Blind and Visually Impaired (VTBVIs) are all qualified teachers with particular skills and knowledge of the development and education of children with varying degrees of visual impairment. They offer longitudinal support to children, their families and schools from the time of referral through to the end of post-primary education.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), who manages the VT’s service on behalf of the Department offers seminars, delivered by Visiting Teachers, for schools with a student(s) who is blind or visually impaired. This is an introductory seminar which is additional to the sustained support that is the core work of the Visiting Teachers.
The NCSE also provides professional development for teachers in the area of Cerebral/Cortical Vision Impairment (CVI).
Post-graduate courses (Master of Arts/Post graduate Diploma) dealing specifically with the education of those with Vision Impairment are offered by universities in the UK and the NCSE provides funding for teachers to attend.
Teachers who have completed the post-graduate course may apply to NCSE for funding for additional post-graduate courses such as courses dealing with Multi-Sensory Impairments.
Furthermore, teachers who are not Visiting Teachers but are working with a student who has sight loss are also eligible to apply for funding from NCSE to attend these courses.
60% of our Visiting Teachers (VT’s) hold a post graduate qualification in Education of students who are blind or visually impaired. There are another 12% who are part way through the course. The remainder of the VT’s are relatively new recruits, and are expected to undertake the course within the next 12-24 months.
In addition, the NCSE also holds an annual 2 day training event for VT’s where they focus on particular issues identified by VTs throughout the year.
569. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide details on all open EU infringement proceedings where the subject of the infringement relates to the functions of her Department; the reason the infringement proceedings were initiated; the procedural stage of the infringement proceedings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30265/26]
View answerMy Department has no open EU infringement proceedings at this time..
570. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps a community can take to prove there is a demand in a local area to reopen a primary school that was previously closed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30284/26]
View answerIn 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.
My department also conducts granular analysis below the level of a school planning area, particularly where a school planning area encompasses both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland. Our analysis of school place demand in urban areas experiencing high population growth has indicated that demand in the urban area can be 10-20% higher than the school planning area as a whole.
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, including reopening of 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.
The department will continue to liaise with local authorities 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.
571. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider reopening a rural school that was previously closed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30285/26]
View answerIn 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.
My department also conducts granular analysis below the level of a school planning area, particularly where a school planning area encompasses both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland. Our analysis of school place demand in urban areas experiencing high population growth has indicated that demand in the urban area can be 10-20% higher than the school planning area as a whole.
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.
The patron of St. Joseph's National School, Aglish, Roscrea, 18443K issued notification requesting school closure due to declining enrolments. This small rural school had 13 enrolled in 2024 with no enrolments planned for Sep 2025. The demand for primary school places in the rural area local to this school is not projected to increase. The department is satisfied that the remaining schools in the school planning area, can between them, adequately cater for the pupils residing in the area.
The department will continue to liaise with Tipperary 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 including Aglish/Borrisokane.
