Written Answers Nos. 593-612
593. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to an accommodation shortfall for a school for the coming school year (details supplied); the actions she will take to ensure this is rectified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30566/26]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy is currently accommodated in the completed Cherrywood ETNS school building and in modular accommodation on an adjacent Minister-owned site pending delivery of the school’s permanent project on the Abilene site.
Following consultation and agreement with the school and its patron body, two additional mainstream classrooms and one Science Lab will be provided in modular accommodation to meet the requirements for the 2026/27 school year.
The Department continues to liaise with the school and its patron body in relation to progress and programme for delivery.
594. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeframe for when new classrooms will be in place for a school (details supplied); if her attention has been brought to concerns that if there is a delay, there will not be sufficient accommodation for the students for the coming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30567/26]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy is currently accommodated in the completed Cherrywood ETNS school building and in modular accommodation on an adjacent Minister-owned site pending delivery of the school’s permanent project on the Abilene site.
Following consultation and agreement with the school and its patron body, two additional mainstream classrooms and one Science Lab will be provided in modular accommodation to meet the requirements for the 2026/27 school year.
The Department continues to liaise with the school and its patron body in relation to progress and programme for delivery.
595. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the permanent new school building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30568/26]
View answer597. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will facilitate a meeting with members of the board of management for a school (details supplied) to discuss their concerns related to the delays in progressing a new school building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30570/26]
View answer598. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the basis for the significant delays in progressing the new school building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30571/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 595, 597 and 598 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, earlier this year my department 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.
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.
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 will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender.
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, there will continue to be a strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity across the school estate and also ensuring that school admissions policies and processes are targeted at meeting local mainstream and special class requirements.
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.
The accommodation needs for Blackrock ETSS will be considered as part of ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
596. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will facilitate a meeting with members of the board of management for a school (details supplied) to discuss their concerns related the shortfall in accommodation for the coming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30569/26]
View answerThe school is currently accommodated in interim accommodation in the completed Cherrywood ETNS school building pending delivery of the school’s permanent accommodation on the Abilene site.
In addition, the Department will provide two further mainstream classrooms and 1 Science Lab in modular accommodation on the adjoining post-primary school site to meet the demand for the September 2026 academic year.
The Department continues to liaise with the school, patron body and board of management.
599. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to respond on correspondence received in relation to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30573/26]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.
An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property, or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening.
The EWS operates on the basis of the minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation. The EWS usually provides an interim solution until such time as a comprehensive solution can be provided under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS).
The purpose of the SWS is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school.
In the case of the school in question it should be noted that there are currently no outstanding EWS applications. However, the option remains open to the school in question to submit an application for funding under the EWS where the school considers the issue at hand meet the EWS criteria.
601. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth if it is the current policy of her private office/Department to formally invite or notify all local Oireachtas members of constituency events at which Ministers are in attendance in the course of performing their ministerial duties and functions; if she will provide the Department's current policy or protocol on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30595/26]
View answer602. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a list of all events across every constituency attended by the Minister in the course of her ministerial duties since 1 January 2026, where formal invitations/notifications to attend were not issued by her office to all local Oireachtas members; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30613/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together.
There is currently no policy or established practice within my private office to notify or invite local Oireachtas members to constituency events that I attend.
603. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the NCSE behaviour support practitioner post referenced for a school (details supplied) has been filled; the date the successful candidate was appointed; the commencement date the practitioner will begin delivering supports; the exact number of hours per week the practitioner will be assigned to the school, including confirmation as to whether the post is exclusive to the school or shared, and if shared, the weekly hour allocation for each school involved. [30642/26]
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.
The 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.
604. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of suspensions imposed; the total number of suspension days issued; the average duration of suspensions in days; the suspension rate per 100 enrolled students and the number of suspensions falling into each duration band of one day, two–three days, four–five days, six–ten days, and over ten days for each of the past five academic years, in respect of ETB-managed mainstream post-primary schools and ETB-managed special schools. [30643/26]
View answerTusla Education Support Service (TESS) is under the remit of my department, and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention.
Section 21 (6) of the Act provides that all recognised primary and post primary schools, including special schools, submit an Annual Attendance Report to TESS on student non-attendance at an aggregated level, within six weeks of the end of the school year.
The Annual Attendance Report (AAR) provides four pieces of data in respect of all students enrolled in the school;
• total days lost by all students,
• total students absent for 20 or more days,
• total students suspended,
• total students expelled at the school level.
In accordance with Section 21 (4) of the Act, Student Absence Reports (SARs) are submitted to TESS by recognised schools and provide data only on those students aged over 6 years and under 16 years, who are absent for a cumulative total of 20 or more days in the school year, by the recorded reason for their absence. The recorded absence reasons are; illness, urgent, holiday, suspension or other. The SAR was first published for the 2017/18 school year.
TESS does not collate data in relation to suspensions outside of the statutory reporting by schools detailed above.
The AAR and SAR reports are published and are available on Tusla’s website at the following link: www.tusla.ie/services/educational-welfare-services/publications/research-and-statistics
605. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the school placement shortage in the Donabate area (details supplied); if she will prioritise the provision of an additional three primary and one secondary schools identified in the County Development Plan; the timeline for the delivery of these much-needed schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30674/26]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the 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, the 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.
The pace of delivery of additional residential development in the Donabate SPA, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of further school requirements in the area.
It must be noted that the demographic data of school going and pre-school children aged from 0 to 18 living in Donabate shows that, while the demand for school places remains strong, there isn't a significant increase in demand. This will be kept under review.
The development of a two school primary school campus on lands in Corballis, Donabate forms part of my department school building programme. This will provide additional primary school capacity to cater for the increasing demand for school places associated with the new residential developments. In addition, there is available capacity in the existing post primary school that will cater for increased demand for post primary school places.
Through the Statutory Plans process, the department regularly engages with Fingal County Council in respect of its County Development Plan and Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any future medium to long-term school place requirements across all Fingal settlement areas, of which Donabate is one. The department engages with all consultation phases of these plans to ensure that there is an adequate amount of appropriately zoned and suitably located sites for future school place provision and that they are in line with the requirements of objectives as identified in the National Planning Framework.
606. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are solar panels in place on the rooftop or within the grounds of her Department building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30694/26]
View answerMy department is leading an ambitious sustainability agenda and has progressed a wide array of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our buildings as part of our work towards 2030 and 2050 climate targets. Evaluation surveys for the installation of PV Solar panels on the three main DEY campuses, Marlborough Street, Athlone and Tullamore, were completed in 2022.
The installation of solar panels is one of the elements that play a key role in how DEY aims to meet the requirements of the Climate Action Mandate and reach its 2030 and 2050 CO2 emissions and energy efficiency targets. Department buildings are owned and managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and while DEY have engaged with them regarding the installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solution, the decision is for OPW. DEY will continue to engage with OPW, in its role as National Estate Portfolio Lead under the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2025, regarding the installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solutions within OPW buildings.
607. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has a solar panel policy in place in relation to the installation of solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30712/26]
View answerIt is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and my Department sets out our intentions in this regard in our Climate Action Roadmap 2025: assets.gov.ie/static/documents/fee782cd/Climate_Action_Roadmap_2025_DEY.pdf and School Sector Technical Climate Action Roadmap: www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/315407/1680010b-23cc-4c17-94b9-9dc5096c5c67.pdf#page=null. In relation to my department’s own office buildings, significant progress has been made in energy efficiency, having exceeded the 50% target in 2024, with energy performance improving by 54.3% since the baseline (2009).
The installation of solar panels is one of the elements that play a key role in how DEY aims to meet the requirements of the Climate Action Mandate and reach its 2030 and 2050 CO2 emissions and energy efficiency targets. Department buildings are owned and managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and while DEY have engaged with them regarding the installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solution, the decision is for OPW. DEY will continue to engage with OPW, in its role as National Estate Portfolio Lead under the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2025, regarding the installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solutions within OPW buildings.
608. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has a solar panel policy in place in relation to the installation of solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by agencies under the control of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30732/26]
View answerIt is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the department’s Climate Action Roadmap 2025: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/fee782cd/Climate_Action_Roadmap_2025_DEY.pdf and [School Sector Technical Climate Action Roadmap]: https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/315407/1680010b-23cc-4c17-94b9-9dc5096c5c67.pdf#page=null
Units with responsibility for the oversight of in-scope aegis bodies monitor compliance with Public Sector Climate Action Mandate on a regular basis.
The installation of solar panels is one of the elements that play a part in meeting the requirements of the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate. The Office of Public Works (OPW) are the National Estate Portfolio Lead under the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2025. Where buildings are owned and managed by OPW it is OPW that makes the final determination regarding installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solutions.
609. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the merits of installing solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30749/26]
View answerIt is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and my Department sets out our intentions in this regard in our Climate Action Roadmap 2025: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/fee782cd/Climate_Action_Roadmap_2025_DEY.pdf and School Sector Technical Climate Action Roadmap: https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/315407/1680010b-23cc-4c17-94b9-9dc5096c5c67.pdf#page=null. My Department has a strong record with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification.
The installation of solar panels is one of the elements that play a key role in how DEY aims to meet the requirements of the Climate Action Mandate and reach its 2030 and 2050 CO2 emissions and energy efficiency targets. Department buildings are owned and managed by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and while DEY have engaged with them regarding the installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solution, the decision is for OPW. DEY will continue to engage with OPW, in its role as National Estate Portfolio Lead under the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2025, regarding the installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solutions within OPW buildings.
610. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the merits of installing solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by agencies under the control of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30770/26]
View answerIt is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in line with the department’s Climate Action Roadmap 2025 assets.gov.ie/static/documents/fee782cd/Climate_Action_Roadmap_2025_DEY.pdf and School Sector Technical Climate Action Roadmap www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/315407/1680010b-23cc-4c17-94b9-9dc5096c5c67.pdf#page=null. My Department has a strong record with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification.
The installation of solar panels is one of the elements that play a part in meeting the requirements of the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate. The Office of Public Works (OPW) are the National Estate Portfolio Lead under the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate 2025. Where buildings are owned and managed by OPW it is OPW that makes the final determination regarding installation of solar panels and other environmentally friendly energy generation solutions.
611. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total allocation of funding to each State agency under her Department’s remit, broken down by the allocation to each agency, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30792/26]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy in regard to the bodies under the aegis of my Department is being collated and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
612. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total spend on consultancy firms by each State agency under her Department's remit, broken down by the allocation to each named consultancy firm, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30810/26]
View answerThe information in respect of state bodies under the aegis, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my department. State bodies have been provided with the question and have been advised to respond directly to the Deputy.
