Written Answers Nos. 331-350
331. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a date for Oíche na hÓige will be announced; the budget her Department has allocated for the running of the event for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32069/26]
View answerThe department is currently evaluating Oíche na hÓige 2025. This evaluation is considering the impact of the event in raising the public profile of youth work services as well as investigating what improvements can be made to the design of the initiative. Initial evidence is strongly encouraging. Design of this year’s event, including considerations as to the date of the event, will be informed by the learnings from Oíche na hÓige 2025.
The department will work with key stakeholders in the youth sector, including the Education and Training Boards, the National Youth Council of Ireland, and other national youth organisations, to coordinate and deliver Oíche na hÓige 2026.
€500,000 has been allocated to the delivery of Oíche na hÓige in 2026.
332. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will support the retention of a teacher in a school (details supplied). [32075/26]
View answerThe key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally.
The primary school staffing arrangements for the 2026/27 school year are set out in Circular 0025/2026. These arrangements contain an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Information and application forms are available in Circular 0025/2026. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
333. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to review the correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32090/26]
View answerWhere schools are amalgamating, there is a provision for the allocation of a concessionary mainstream teaching post in cases where the approved number of mainstream teachers serving in the schools at the time of the amalgamation, exceeds the number of mainstream posts warranted by the total enrolment under the staffing schedule.
The combined enrolment of the two amalgamating schools allows for a mainstream staffing of Principal and 14 classroom teachers. In order to retain the existing staff in the new school opening in September, an additional concessionary post has been allocated to the new school. The mainstream staffing will be Principal, 14 classroom teachers, and 1 mainstream amalgamation concessionary post for the 2026/27 school year.
334. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth to reply to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32117/26]
View answerIt is my department’s policy, in accordance with the principles of inclusive education, that students with additional learning needs are supported in mainstream classes along with their peers, with additional supports provided as necessary.
By the end of the 2026 calendar year there will be over 21,000 special educational teachers and almost 25,000 special needs assistants (SNAs) in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. This will mean we will have almost 46,000 teachers and SNAs working in our education system committed to supporting and nurturing students with special educational needs, enabling them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
For students with more complex needs special class and special school places are provided. My department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. 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.
Where the NCSE identifies need for a moderate general learning disability class, these classes are sanctioned, and supports are provided by my department to ensure the school can accommodate the class.
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.
The NCSE began sanctioning new special classes in January of this year, which is several months earlier than last year. 464 new special classes have been sanctioned to date, of which 11 are inclusive special classes. Further details on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks. The earlier sanctioning of new classes provides clarity for parents and allows schools more time for the planning and establishment of new special classes. The vast majority of new special classes being announced are being provided in available school accommodation which is being reconfigured as a special class.
Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
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.
335. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth when her Department will be announcing details of this year's summer programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32136/26]
View answerDetails of the 2026 Summer Programme are expected to be announced in early May. While it is acknowledged that details of the Summer Programme are typically announced earlier, the finalisation of arrangements for the 2026 programme was delayed pending confirmation that the Department of Education and Youth would receive the additional funding required to support all aspects of education.
All schools will be offered the opportunity to run a summer programme for children with the most complex special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
Once details are announced, schools will be invited to apply to run a school-based programme and further information, including the link to the portal and the programme overview, will be communicated directly to all schools.
In the interim, schools are asked to begin prioritising children in special classes and special schools for participation in the school-based programme.
Again, as in previous years, the home-based Summer Programme will be available to those children who have complex special educational needs and who are accessing the highest level of the Continuum of Support throughout the school year.
336. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her commitment to develop guidance on best practice arrangements for pupils in denominational schools whose parents request that they do not attend religious instruction, if she will ensure that this guidance is framed in order that it expressly covers all conscience-based opt-outs under section 30(2)(e) of the Education Act 1998, and not only religious instruction, or alternatively that equivalent guidance is issued for non-religious content; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32158/26]
View answer337. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that any Departmental guidance on opt-out arrangements covers all conscience-based opt-outs and does not create an artificial distinction between families who invoke the same statutory right in respect to different elements of the curriculum given that the same practical and rights-based issues arise; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32159/26]
View answer338. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she accepts that providing no more than ad hoc supervision, or requiring a child to sit in the same classroom while instruction contrary to conscience is delivered, is inconsistent with the State’s duty to vindicate parental rights under the Constitution; the way in which upcoming guidance will address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32160/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 336, 337 and 338 together.
Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools have admissions policies, which have been approved by the patron and published on the school's website following consultation with the school community. The act requires where schools provide religious instruction that they set out in their admission policies the school’s arrangements for students, where the parent or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, has requested that the student attend the school without attending religious instruction in the school.
As set out in the Education Plan 2025, the Department is committed to developing best practice guidance for schools in relation to arrangements to facilitate parental requests for children to attend school without attending religious instruction.
A review of current practices in schools is being undertaken that will develop a best practice guide. This guidance is intended to improve transparency and consistency across schools and to make expectations clearer for all stakeholders. This guidance will be available to all schools. Work in this area is ongoing.
The development of this guidance will be undertaken in a phased approach. A comprehensive consultation process will be undertaken with partners including school patrons, school management bodies, school leaders, parents, and students. This work will be cognisant of primary and post-primary schools, different sizes of schools and existing good practices and arrangements that currently work well in schools.
While the focus of the work is set out in the Education Plan there no plans to impose restrictions on schools from using the guidance where parental requests are received in respect of other subjects in line with the provisions set out in the Education Act, 1998.
339. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update in respect of the NDFA’s project Shannon; if she will clarify the extent to which it is funded; and if she will clarify the hierarchy in which projects contained within project Shannon will be advanced. [32162/26]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, in July 2025 the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.
The NDP Implementation Plan for the Education and Youth sector along with the first tranche of projects to progress to tender and/or construction during 2026 and 2027 was published in January 2026. This NDP Implementation Plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs. Programme management throughout the period 2026-2030 will optimise delivery options, including the potential phasing of projects to address priority needs in alignment with funding parameters.
The project referred to by the Deputy, Project Shannon is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural design process. A Stage 2a meeting recently took place in April 2026 during which my department's professional and technical team provided technical comments. The design team are currently reviewing this input and once addressed will submit an addendum report to the department for consideration. Once the department is satisfied that all technical comments have been addressed, the campus project for all three schools will be considered for progression to Stage 2b, which is a detailed design stage that includes statutory approvals.
340. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether a designated email account (details supplied) remains active and monitored for correspondence from public representatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32164/26]
View answer341. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average response time for correspondence received through the designated email account (details supplied) in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026. [32165/26]
View answer342. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of emails received through the designated email account (details supplied) in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026 remained unanswered after ten working days and after 20 working days. [32166/26]
View answer343. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether Bus Éireann issues an automatic acknowledgement for emails received through the designated email account (details supplied); and if not, the reason. [32167/26]
View answer344. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she accepts that repeated non-response to correspondence from public representatives through the designated email account (details supplied) undermines public accountability and delays resolution of public transport issues for constituents; and the steps being taken to address this matter. [32168/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 340, 341, 342, 343 and 344 together.
Bus Éireann operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. It is a significant operation transporting over 181,000 pupils to and from school daily on over 11,200 routes throughout Ireland, including the provision of services for over 24,000 pupils with additional needs.
Bus Éireann advises that representations received from Oireachtas members via the designated email address are treated as a priority. Delays do occur during summer months due to the volume of queries received, as well as the frequent duplication in these queries, and also the need to comply with GDPR policies while resolving the complex, and often specifically local nature of the queries received.
However, all elected representatives who make their queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email do receive an automated acknowledgement email sent on receipt of each query received.
In 2024, Bus Éireann received 1,672 representation queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email.
In 2025, Bus Éireann received 2,614 representation queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email which represents a 56% increase versus 2024.
In 2026 to date, Bus Éireann has received 228 representation queries through the designated reps@buseireann.ie email.
Each year there are in excess of 38,000 new applications to be processed for mainstream pupils and over 7,500 applications for pupils require Special Educational Needs transport. Bus Éireann is required to ensure all tickets are issued, that the large volumes of routes are procured, and that all drivers are vetted, so as to ensure each local service is in place for the start of the new school year.
Bus Éireann also receives queries via multiple channels, including through the dedicated reps@buseireann.ie email for Oireachtas members, but also directly to Local Managers via non-designated email addresses and by direct phone calls. Bus Éireann regularly promotes the benefit of all elected representative queries relating to the School Transport Scheme being submitted to the dedicated email address so as to avoid overload of the school Transport Scheme management system and helping it to be more responsive to Oireachtas member queries.
Bus Éireann have advised that they would like to apologise to those political representatives who have encountered delays in receiving a response to their respective queries and wish to assure them that they are continuing to review how they can provide additional communications to elected representatives to assist in answering their queries and representations. Bus Éireann has encountered resourcing issues in areas such as the Cork and Waterford office last year which resulted in delays in particular in these areas. Bus Éireann will continue to focus on providing responses in a timely manner through the dedicated email address reps@buseireann.ie, as this offers a single point of contact from which a more efficient system can operate.
345. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if more schools will be included in the DEIS programme in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32181/26]
View answerAddressing educational disadvantage in all schools is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage.
I recently announced the DEIS Strategy to 2035 which is the first long-term, whole-system approach to addressing educational disadvantage. This strategy recognises education as central to breaking cycles of disadvantage, expanding opportunity, and ensuring long-term security. It sets out a more flexible model of support, so that resources are aligned with each school’s level of need as it changes over time.
The 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 does not provide for an expansion of the DEIS programme in 2026. The DEIS Strategy to 2035 sets out actions under the strategic objective 2.2, 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 the data available to measure school level disadvantage and for the development of a more flexible resource allocation model that can react to change in school needs and provide the right resources at the right time. The increase in DEIS Grant and HSCL allocation for schools in the DEIS programme, and the allocation of HSCL on a pilot basis to a selection of schools that are not in the DEIS programme is a first step in the move to that more dynamic model. No schools are losing resources in relation to this work.
As work continues on these actions, we will continue to work closely with schools and the education stakeholders. Any future allocation of resources will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and in the context of available resources.
346. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list the schools that were included in the DEIS programme for each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32182/26]
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 concentrated 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. The programme was expanded further in 2017 following the development of a DEIS identification methodology. For the most recent expansion, 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 significant educational disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma learners, and of students residing in direct provision or emergence homeless accommodation.
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 included in the DEIS programme.
A list of schools which are currently in the DEIS programme can be found at the following link: DEIS Delivering Equality of Opportunity In Schools www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/policy-information/deis-delivering-equality-of-opportunity-in-schools/#deis-schools-2025-2026
347. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be considered for DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32183/26]
View answerAddressing educational disadvantage in all schools is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. Schools that were included in the most recent expansion of the programme in 2022 were those with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage as identified through the refined DEIS identification model. This model took into consideration the significant educational disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma learners and of students residing in direct provision or emergency homeless accommodation. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme, and the model was applied fairly and equally to all schools. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie. It is important to stress that schools not identified through the refined DEIS identification model does not in any way imply that the department is saying that disadvantage does not exist within in the school community.
I recently announced the DEIS Strategy to 2035 which is the first long-term, whole-system approach to addressing educational disadvantage. This strategy recognises education as central to breaking cycles of disadvantage, expanding opportunity, and ensuring long-term security. It sets out a more flexible model of support, so that resources are aligned with each school’s level of need as it changes over time.
The 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 DEIS Strategy to 2035 sets out actions under the strategic objective 2.2, 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 the data available to measure school level disadvantage and for the development of a more flexible resource allocation model that can react to change in school needs and provide the right resources at the right time. The increase in DEIS Grant and HSCL allocation for schools in the DEIS programme, and the allocation of HSCL on a pilot basis to a selection of schools that are not in the DEIS programme is a first step in the move to that more dynamic model. No schools are losing resources in relation to this work.
As work continues on these actions, we will continue to work closely with schools and the education stakeholders. Any future allocation of resources will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and in the context of available resources.
There are also a range of universal supports available to all schools to support children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. These include:
• National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological service to all primary and post-primary schools and special schools to support the well-being, academic, social and emotional development of all learners.
• The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation provides a unified allocation for special education support teaching needs to each school based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses an element of English as an additional language (EAL) support allocation. Under this SET model, schools are frontloaded with resources to provide support immediately to those pupils who need it without delay.??
• Free schoolbooks are provided to all children and young people in the free education system.
• 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.?
• Through the Department of Social Protection, the School Meals Programme provides regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The Hot School Meals Programme is available to all primary schools, meaning that approximately 3,700 schools and organisations and 682,000 children are now eligible for the Schools Meals Programme.
348. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32192/26]
View answerThe Teaching Council, as the professional regulatory body for teaching, has statutory responsibility for the accreditation of initial teacher education (ITE) programmes and for the registration of primary and post-primary teachers. Revised standards for the accreditation of programmes of ITE, Céim – Standards for Initial Teacher Education, were published by the Teaching Council in November 2020. Céim sets out the requirements that all ITE programmes in Ireland must meet in order to gain accreditation from the Teaching Council. It is also a benchmark for anybody seeking to register as a teacher in Ireland.
All prospective teachers must have successfully completed a programme of Initial Teacher Education. While an individual’s life experience and prior professional experience would no doubt enrich their teaching, it is up to individual Higher Education Institutions to decide what recognition of prior learning, knowledge, skills, and experience is appropriate in any particular circumstance.
Special Needs Assistants play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with special education needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
The SNA workforce development unit in the department’s special education section are currently developing the first SNA Workforce Development Plan scheduled for delivery later this year. This plan will introduce a strategic approach to policy development and will bring clarity and direction to the SNA service, including in the area of learning and development for SNAs.
Progress on the plan and other useful information around the SNA role, including around training and upskilling opportunities, is available on the SNA Information Hub www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/publications/special-needs-assistant-sna-information-hub/ which was set up as a result of feedback from SNAs during the research phase of the plan.
All current actions being undertaken by my Department are aimed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools, which is central to the educational outcomes of children. The Department’s ongoing approach is to monitor all ITE programmes, to continue to develop further innovative measures to ensure sustainable models of ITE into the future and improve the availability of teachers.
Information on financial supports for students can be found on the following link: Financial supports for students www.citizensinformation.ie/en/education/third-level-education/fees-and-supports-for-third-level-education/financial-supports-for-students/
349. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update in respect of a school (details supplied); the financial supports that are available outside of the schemes referenced; and if officials can include the school in the appropriate funding stream. [32193/26]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for roof work.
As 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 a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation. The EWS is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) which deals with upgrade works to the school.
The school's original application was refused as the application did not fit within the remit of the Emergency Works Scheme as set out Circular Letter 0068/2020 . However, the option remains open to the school to appeal this decision. Appeals will only be considered if additional relevant information that was not provided as part of the original application is provided to the Departments Emergency Works Team.
The responsibility for identifying and applying for the most urgently required projects rests with the school authority and in the case of the school in question it should be noted that the school did not make an application for works under the new Climate Action Summer works scheme which opened for applications in May 2025.
As you may be aware there is an onus on all schools to keep their school’s maintained to a high standard, and where remediation/refurbishment works are required my Department provides funding mechanisms such as the Minor Works Grant, Emergency Works Scheme and the Summer Works Scheme to assist schools in maintaining the condition of school properties. The school in question did not apply to replace the roof of the school building via an application for Summer Works under the 2025 or 2020 schemes.
350. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the process and timeline for determining DEIS status for a school (details supplied); whether the socio-economic profile of the school is currently being examined as part of the DEIS identification process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32198/26]
View answerAddressing educational disadvantage in all schools is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage. Schools that were included in the most recent expansion of the programme in 2022 were those with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage as identified through the refined DEIS identification model. This model took into consideration the significant educational disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma learners and of students residing in direct provision or emergency homeless accommodation. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme, and the model was applied fairly and equally to all schools. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie. It is important to stress that schools not identified through the refined DEIS identification model does not in any way imply that the department is saying that disadvantage does not exist within in the school community.
I recently announced the DEIS Strategy to 2035 which is the first long-term, whole-system approach to addressing educational disadvantage. This strategy recognises education as central to breaking cycles of disadvantage, expanding opportunity, and ensuring long-term security. It sets out a more flexible model of support, so that resources are aligned with each school’s level of need as it changes over time.
The 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 DEIS Strategy to 2035 sets out actions under the strategic objective 2.2, 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 the data available to measure school level disadvantage and for the development of a more flexible resource allocation model that can react to change in school needs and provide the right resources at the right time. The increase in DEIS Grant and HSCL allocation for schools in the DEIS programme, and the allocation of HSCL on a pilot basis to a selection of schools that are not in the DEIS programme is a first step in the move to that more dynamic model. No schools are losing resources in relation to this work.
As work continues on these actions, we will continue to work closely with schools and the education stakeholders. Any future allocation of resources will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and in the context of available resources.
There are also a range of universal supports available to all schools to support children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. These include:
• National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological service to all primary and post-primary schools and special schools to support the well-being, academic, social and emotional development of all learners.
• The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation provides a unified allocation for special education support teaching needs to each school based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses an element of English as an additional language (EAL) support allocation. Under this SET model, schools are frontloaded with resources to provide support immediately to those pupils who need it without delay.??
• Free schoolbooks are provided to all children and young people in the free education system.
• 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.?
• Through the Department of Social Protection, the School Meals Programme provides regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The Hot School Meals Programme is available to all primary schools, meaning that approximately 3,700 schools and organisations and 682,000 children are now eligible for the Schools Meals Programme.
