Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 May 2026
344. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the funding streams available for schools to implement universal design for learning; the amount of funding that was provided in the past five years; if she can confirm what that funding was spent on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41092/26]
View answerThere is no specific funding stream for schools for the implementation of Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
Working on behalf of my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) have redeveloped curricula over a sustained period. Part of the process has included extensive national and international research, close and ongoing engagement with schools and educational settings, and wide-ranging consultation with teachers, school leaders, parents, children, education partners and other stakeholders.
While not underpinned by a single pedagogical framework such as UDL, the approach reflects many of the principles associated with UDL. In particular, the curriculum supports teachers to provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression, enabling them to respond flexibly to children’s differing strengths, interests and learning needs. Learning outcomes across the curriculum are intentionally broad and focused on progression, providing professional agency for teachers to design meaningful learning experiences.
Driven by a commitment to lead and sustain developments in curriculum and assessment that are sufficiently far-reaching so that all children can experience and benefit from enjoyable, engaging, relevant and appropriately challenging experiences, NCCA’s work includes consideration of a range of research perspectives on children’s learning and development, rather than reliance on a single model or theory.
The NCCA takes an evidence-informed approach with its research activity including, but not limited to, research in relation to specific aspects or areas of curriculum development; audits of curriculum provision in other jurisdictions; comparative studies locating Ireland in an international context; and consultations with teachers, children, school leaders, parents, researchers and academics, wider stakeholders in the education system; and the general public. The research used to inform curriculum and assessment advice, as well as systemwide developments, also comes from longitudinal studies such as the Children School Lives study undertaken by researchers in University College Dublin and funded by the NCCA.
This research tells us that human learning is complex and the myriad of theories and associated research approaches that seek to explain how children learn and develop throughout their school years reflects this. The NCCA therefore draws on multiple theories of learning and development in its curriculum and assessment work across early childhood, primary and post-primary education with these being articulated through curriculum components such as principles, learning outcomes, key skills/competencies, and examples of learning to support enactment of the curriculum.
Taken together, the redeveloped Primary School Curriculum provides a coherent, inclusive and future-focused curriculum that reflects contemporary understandings of children’s learning and development, supports high-quality professional practice, and ensures that every child is given the opportunity to reach their full potential throughout their primary education.
