Written Answers Nos. 195-214
195. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 231 if he is aware of any engagement between the Central Bank and national competent authority in Luxembourg, Netherlands, Cyprus, Germany and Jersey in relation to macroprudential measures for property funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9116/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) has confirmed that, since the announcement of the macroprudential measures for property funds in November 2022, the CBI has had some bilateral engagement with other EU national competent authorities (NCAs) to establish whether exposure to Irish property assets, from funds domiciled in these jurisdictions has increased. The CBI has also presented at various European fora on the macroprudential measures both prior to their announcement and at different stages over the current implementation period. However, the CBI has advised my officials that, for reasons of confidentiality, they cannot provide details of or comment on individual engagements.
As the Deputy is aware, the CBI is an independent regulator in relation to the execution of its operational and regulatory functions. As such, questions relating to engagements between the CBI and specific NCAs should be directed to the CBI.
196. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether he will introduce legislation strengthening the powers of the Ombudsman in relation to visa, citizenship and international protection applications (details supplied). [8870/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Ombudsman's role is to examine complaints from members of the public who believe that they have been unfairly treated by certain public service providers including government departments, local authorities, the Health Service Executive (HSE), agencies such as charities and voluntary bodies that deliver health and social services on behalf of the HSE, public hospitals, publicly funded third-level education bodies, and public and private nursing homes.
The current Programme for Government does not include an extension of the Ombudsman's remit to complaints about decisions relating to immigration, naturalisation, citizenship, asylum, family reunification, residency or visas. Outside of any appeals or judicial review process relevant to those matters, complaints are typically handled in line with the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration's Customer Complaints Procedure (Link: Justice Customer Complaints Procedure).
For those living in the Direct Provision system, the Ombudsman can examine complaints about certain actions of accommodation centres and the International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) if a complaint has already been made by the manager of the Accommodation Centre in the first instance, and IPAS thereafter.
I trust this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
197. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to provide an update on plans, including a timeframe on carrying out upgrade works to the Garda Station in Greystones, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9011/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the Office of Public Works (OPW) has planned refurbishment works to Greystones Garda Stations, to include Mechanical & Electrical, and Universal Access works.
Following a successful Part 9 planning application process, work has since commenced on preparing the tender documents. It is envisaged that the tender for works will issue in Q3, 2026.
The commencement/completion dates for the scheduled works are subject to the final sign off of operational and design requirements by An Garda Síochána and where necessary, successful tendering process.
198. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if the unused accommodation section of Castlemaine Garda station, Castlemaine, County Kerry, will be made available for community use; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8963/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am advised by the Commissioners of Public Works (OPW) that the Garda station at Castlemaine, Co Kerry. is an operational Garda station and the OPW has not been advised by An Garda Síochána that the property, or any part of it, is surplus to their requirements.
The OPW is therefore not in a position to engage with any community groups in relation to making the property available for community use.
199. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of a potential flood relief scheme for Bunclody, County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9053/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI acknowledge the devastation that flooding caused in Bunclody last week.
Local coastal erosion and flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address.
The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to provide 90% funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding or coastal erosion problems within their administrative areas. The scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. The criteria for the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme are currently under review, and any new application under the scheme will be considered against revised criteria. The OPW expect to advise Local Authorities of the revised criteria for the scheme shortly.
To date, the OPW has approved some €5.47m in funding under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to County Wexford for some 23 projects. The OPW understands that Wexford County Council is planning to prepare an application for funding to the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme to address the flooding problems that have occurred in Bunclody.
200. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of a potential flood relief scheme for Aughrim, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9054/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA), a requirement of the EU ‘Floods’ Directive (2007/60/EC), sets out to identify areas where the risk associated with flooding might be significant. These areas, referred to as Areas of Potentially Significant Flood Risk (APSFRs), are where detailed flood maps must then be prepared and measures developed to manage and reduce this risk where possible. Under the first cycle of implementation of the EU ‘Floods’ Directive, the PFRA was completed in 2012 following public consultation.
To deliver on Ireland’s commitments under the EU 'Floods' Directive, and to establish those communities that are at risk from significant flood events, the Office of Public Works (OPW) completed the largest study of flood risk ever undertaken by the State in 2018: the Catchment-based Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Programme. The CFRAM Programme studied 80% of Ireland’s primary flood risk and identified solutions that can protect over 95% of that risk. Some 150 new and additional flood relief schemes were identified through this Programme.
The 29 Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMPs) were a key output of CFRAM, identifying proposed flood relief measures nationwide. The Government has committed funding to support the delivery of flood relief schemes under the National Development Plan to 2030 to protect approximately 23,000 properties in communities that are under threat from river and coastal flood risk.
Options to manage the flood risk in the communities designated as APSFRs, and for which the risk was confirmed as being significant through more detailed analysis, were examined under the CFRAM Programme. For some communities, a technically viable flood relief scheme would have been identified, but the economic appraisal of that scheme indicated that a potential scheme was not economically viable (i.e. it had a benefit to cost ratio below one). As the CFRAM Programme was a strategic programme, it was recognised that the estimates of costs and benefits of a scheme were only indicative, and it was considered appropriate to undertake a more detailed examination to review whether a viable scheme could be identified.
Under the third cycle of the National Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (2025), the outcomes of Scheme Viability Reviews (SVRs) carried out for a number of communities were outlined, including Aughrim in County Wicklow. While the review has indicated that a potentially viable scheme is not available, the area has been retained as an APSFR. Alternative measures for managing and reducing the flood risk in the community will be assessed in the preparation of the third cycle of the Flood Risk Management Plans. In conjunction with this, the outcome of the SVR for Aughrim will now be reviewed in the aftermath of the storm Chandra flooding impacts in Aughrim last week.
The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the OPW in 2009. The purpose of the Scheme is to provide funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding or coastal erosion problems within their administrative areas. The Scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. Applications for funding from local authorities are assessed by the OPW having regard to the specific economic, technical, social and environmental criteria of the scheme, including a cost-benefit ratio. An increase in funding supports is to be made available to local authorities under the Scheme, including an increase in the upper Minor Works threshold from €750,000 to €2,000,000, subject to qualifying criteria. The OPW intends to share the revised criteria with local authorities shortly.
201. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation when the revised criteria for the minor flood mitigation works scheme will be notified to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9101/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocalised flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each Local Authority to investigate and address, and a Local Authority may carry out flood mitigation works using its own resources.
Local Authorities may apply to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for funding for flood mitigation and coastal protection works under the OPW's Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme. This scheme was introduced by the OPW on an administrative, non-statutory basis in 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to provide funding to Local Authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works, or studies to address localised flooding and coastal protection problems within their administrative areas.
Since its introduction in 2009, some €70 million has been approved under the Scheme for some 930 Local Authority led projects that are delivering flood mitigation and coastal protection for some 8,000 properties.
On 21st August 2025, I announced that an increase in funding supports are to be made available to Local Authorities under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme, including an increase in the upper threshold of funding from €750,000 to €2,000,000. The OPW is currently finalising details of the revisions to the Scheme, and expect to advise Local Authorities of the revised criteria for the Scheme shortly.
202. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the total expenditure on the minor flood mitigation works scheme in 2025; the funding allocated for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9102/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraLocal coastal erosion and flooding issues are a matter, in the first instance, for each local authority to investigate and address.
The Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme was introduced by the Office of Public Works (OPW) in 2009. The purpose of the scheme is to provide 90% funding to local authorities to undertake minor flood mitigation works or studies to address localised flooding or coastal erosion problems within their administrative areas. The scheme generally applies where a solution can be readily identified and achieved in a short time frame. The OPW expect to advise Local Authorities of the revised criteria and details for the scheme shortly, including an increase in the funding limits for each project from €750,000 to €2m.
Since its introduction in 2009, some €70 million has been approved under the scheme for some 930 Local Authority led projects that are delivering flood mitigation and coastal protection for some 8,000 properties.
In 2025, the OPW approved €1.8m in funding under the scheme for some 27 projects and the local authorities drawdown in 2025, for projects approved under the scheme was €1.87m.
The OPW has approved, to date, a further €107,708 in funding under this demand led scheme for 2026.
203. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide an update on the proposed regulations governing the use of short-term tourist accommodation, including platforms such as (details supplied) and similar services due to come into effect in May 2026; if specific exemptions are being considered for the offshore islands, given their unique demographic profile and reliance on tourism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8927/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs set out in the Government's new Policy Statement A New Era for Irish Tourism, which I published in December, the introduction of regulatory controls for the Short Term Letting Sector is to ensure that the tourism sector develops in a way that recognises and is complementary to the wider needs of local communities, both economically and socially.
In April last year, I secured Government approval for the General Scheme of the Short Term Letting and Tourism (STLT) Bill. When enacted, the Bill will provide the statutory basis for the introduction of regulatory controls including a national register for the Short Term Letting (STL) sector. Fáilte Ireland will implement and manage this register from 20 May 2026, ensuring compliance with the EU Short Term Rental Regulation, adopted on 11 April 2024.
I am pleased that the tourism sector has broadly welcomed the introduction of a STL register.
The new Housing policy, proposed by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne T.D., and approved by Government on 15 April will generally preclude new planning permissions for STLs in large towns and cities. The Department of Housing is working to give effect to this decision and Minister Browne will progress any required legislative changes. Planning guidance on short term letting will be issued through a National Planning Statement which will be published before the STLT Bill is enacted to provide clarity for the tourism sector. I continue to engage with Minister Browne in this regard as I am acutely aware that providers need certainty in this regard.
As we await the publication of the National Planning Statement for short term letting by Minister Browne, I and my Department continue to consider the full implications for the tourism sector.
From 20 May 2026, all STL hosts in the State offering accommodation for periods up to and including 21 nights will be obliged to register with Fáilte Ireland via a digital system and confirm their compliance with planning requirements. Registration will take 5 minutes and will generate a unique registration number for each STL unit registered. This number must be displayed when listing the STL unit on any online platforms.
Fáilte Ireland estimates that, approximately 34,020 STL properties were advertised online in the State in October 2025, based on screen-scraped data from four major booking platforms. Up to 64% were listed as “entire” houses or apartments. This represents a 26% increase from an estimated 26,960 units in October 2022.
Tourism remains a vital part of the Irish economy, supporting 227,000 jobs and generating €6 billion in 2024. I fully recognise concerns about the impact on rural tourism and local economies, including the off-shore islands, of reducing short-term let (STL) availability. However, addressing Ireland’s housing needs is a priority, and Government must use every lever available, including returning some short-term letting (STL) properties to the long-term rental market.
To ensure all accommodation providers and intermediaries who advertise accommodation (platforms) are aware of the registration and reporting obligations from next May, my Department launched a communications campaign on 28 October. Phase two of this campaign will launch in the coming weeks.
My Department has also developed a webpage where information is easily accessible for the sector and this is available at enterprise.gov.ie/en/what-we-do/the-business-environment/tourism/short-term-letting/
204. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether his Department is considering any proposals to create a national strategy to attract fully locationless remote jobs to Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8826/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra205. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether his Department is considering any proposals to create a dedicated unit within his Department, or Stage agencies, to attract fully locationless remote jobs to Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8827/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 204 and 205 together.
Remote working represents a significant opportunity for creating a more inclusive labour market, enabling enhanced access to high-quality employment opportunities for workers in their home communities. This in turn provides employers with access to a larger talent pool, with remote and flexible working options representing powerful tools for staff recruitment and retention, improving labour market performance and regional economic balance overall.
The Government is committed to facilitating remote working in a way which maximises its economic, social and environmental benefits, and my Department worked with colleagues across Government to develop and oversee the successful delivery of all 15 actions outlined in the 2021 National Remote Work Strategy.
These actions include legislating for the right of all workers to request a remote working arrangement through the Work Life Balance Act 2023, the introduction of an enhanced income tax deduction for people working from home significant investment in Ireland’s national network of remote working hubs.
Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, re-affirms this commitment to promoting flexible working arrangements that benefit both workers and employers.
It is in this context that I note Grow Remote’s ideas in relation to attracting a proportion of the significant number of remote and locationless jobs advertised monthly internationally to Ireland, with these representing a potential a pool of high-value employment with significant benefits for the country.
Indeed, as the Deputy will recall, I met with representatives of Grow Remote last September for a productive meeting during which the possibilities of a national strategy to attract fully locationless remote jobs to Ireland, and the establishment of a dedicated unit within my Department or State agency to deliver this, were explored.
At the meeting, I invited Grow Remote to develop a detailed policy proposal to inform further consideration of these ideas within my Department and its agencies. I understand that this policy proposal is currently in the process of being drafted with the assistance of officials in my Department, and I look forward to discussing these matters further once this proposal has been finalised.
206. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the value of dual-use goods exported to Israel in 2025 in its entirety; the companies that got licenses, as well as applications that were refused, and who the end users were. [8926/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is the National Competent Authority with responsibility for Export Controls, including controls on defence-related exports and exports of dual-use goods. Controls on the export of dual-use items are administered by my Department, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/821 of the European Parliament and of the Council setting up a Union regime for the control of exports, brokering, technical assistance, transit and transfer of dual-use items.
In 2025, 15 individual dual use licences were issued for exports to Israel with a total maximum value of €3.16m. In the same period, 2 applications for individual dual use licences were refused with a total maximum value of €2.22m.
My Department has a duty to protect the commercial confidentiality and security of exporters who apply for export control authorisations, including their staff and facilities. This is a fundamental principle of how export controls are managed responsibly and in line with international best practice. Therefore, I cannot provide a list of exporters granted or denied licences or the end user these licences relate to.
The bulk of dual-use exports from Ireland, including those to Israel, are mainstream business ICT products, both hardware and software (networking, data storage, cybersecurity etc). They are categorised as dual-use items as a consequence of the fact that they incorporate strong encryption for ICT security purposes.
207. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment if he will provide an update as to whether funding will be allocated to Galway County Council to take ownership of a property (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9017/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the National Tourism Development Authority, Fáilte Ireland’s role is to support the long-term sustainable growth in the economic, social, cultural and environmental contribution of tourism to Ireland. Fáilte Ireland works in partnership with Government, State agencies, Local Authorities, representative groups and industry, to develop tourism across Ireland.
I understand that Fáilte Ireland recognise the necessity for capital investment to unlock the full potential of the castle. Should Galway County Council take ownership of the castle, Fáilte Ireland is committed to supporting the development of its tourism potential. Specifically, their aim is to enhance the visitor experience while preserving the cultural and historical integrity of the site.
Currently, there are no appropriate active capital grant schemes available to support such projects. When a new suitable scheme opens up, then the project could apply but will be required to meet all the criteria of the scheme.
208. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether funding provided through Cara Nua for victims of institutional abuse is available for the purchase of a car. [9111/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua was established in 2013 to disburse the contributions of €110m (€111.38m including interest) provided by the religious congregations following the publication of the Ryan Report, by providing funding supports to survivors in respect of approved services in areas such as health, housing or education.
Caranua did not provide funding to support the purchase of a car.
Due to the exhaustion of the funding available to it, Caranua effectively closed in March 2021 and will be formally dissolved in accordance with the provisions of the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025 in due course.
209. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 537 of 27 January 2026, if she will provide details on the National Youth Sector Reference Group as well as a group comprising representatives from departments and agencies that provide funding to or interact with the youth sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8773/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra210. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 537 of 27 January 2026, if she will provide details on progress in drafting an operational action plan to support implementation of the strategy; the timeline for engagement with stakeholders involved in the delivery of these actions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8774/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra211. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 537 of 27 January 2026, if she will provide more information on the design of a consultative forum, from 2026 onwards, that will concentrate on the identification of policy priorities, outputs, and outcomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8775/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra212. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 537 of 27 January 2026, her plans to meet with youth organisations, to discuss their priorities and understand the value of their work and the challenges they face; when she intends to get stakeholder input to inform the development of the implementation plan for Opportunities for Youth, the national strategy for youth work and related services, which is currently in development; the timelines for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8776/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 209, 210, 211 and 212 together.
Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services is the strategic framework for the youth work sector, published in September 2024. The strategy aims to build awareness of and strengthen youth services, and ensure that youth services remain accessible and of value to young people across Ireland. Department officials have drafted an operational action plan to support implementation of the strategy, and consultation with stakeholders involved in the delivery actions will take place before the plan is finalised and published. The department has received significant input already from the sector, which is reflected in the plan.
The implementation of Opportunities for Youth, and the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders, will be supported through a new National Youth Sector Reference Group (NYSRG), as well as a group comprising representatives from departments and agencies that provide funding to or interact with the youth sector.
The establishment of the NYSRG is being informed by a process of stakeholder mapping and will focus on the design of a consultative forum, from 2026 onwards, that will concentrate on the identification of policy priorities, outputs, and outcomes. The Group will include representatives from across the youth sector, including academics and youth representatives. This will support a balanced and transparent input from across the wider youth sector into national decision-making. A key pillar of this will be the representation of the views of young people, including young people of diverse backgrounds, so that they can influence decision-making in respect of youth work services.
The aim of the Interdepartmental and Interagency Group on State-funded Youth Work Services will be to develop a renewed and whole-of-government vision for the role of state-funded youth work services, including the role of youth work within the wider landscape of provision for children and young people. In turn this will improve coherence and complementarity across schemes and ensure a joined-up approach to supporting young people. This group will comprise relevant departments and state agencies that provide support or funding to youth services, to achieve greater cooperation, coherence and, where appropriate, integration of services.
The department engages with national youth organisations on a regular basis, including through the National Youth Organisation (NYO) forum. The purpose of this forum is to offer representatives from the national youth organisations an opportunity to meet with senior departmental officials and, when available, the Minister. At these gatherings, the department provides organisations with an update on current priorities, while the organisations highlight achievements or issues that they would like to bring to the department’s attention.
The department looks forward to meeting and working with youth organisations, to discuss their priorities and understand the value of their work and the challenges they face.
213. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if plans have advanced for a new school (details supplied) on the new site offered free of charge to the State, within the town boundaries of Milford; and if she will discuss the unacceptable conditions for the children, teachers and staff at the school with her two predecessors in her role, who both visited the school and witnessed those conditions for themselves. [8779/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department received an application for large scale capital funding from the school referred to by the Deputy. The department has corresponded extensively with the school following this application including a recent meeting with the Patron and other school representatives. The Patron undertook to review enrolment patterns in the area including the sustainability of a significant cohort of the school's current enrolment coming from areas served by other schools with existing capacity. The school already received significant capital funding in its current location, although it has also refused proposed investment in the existing school which the Department believes would have dealt with some of the more immediate issues for the school pending the requested review of its enrolment policy and its decision to act as a base for support teachers in the area.
All applications from schools for major capital works must be considered in the context of capacity requirements and climate action commitments. The plan for identifying opportunities to transform existing schools at national scale will be informed by the outcome of an Energy and Condition survey of all schools which is due for completion this year. The subsequent analysis of this significant amount of data will help determine priorities going forward in relation to retrofit and refurbishment projects. The process may ultimately identify a requirement for the replacement of some accommodation, but this is not expected to be widespread. This overall process is particularly valuable in facilitating a proportionate assessment of a school’s accommodation upgrade needs relative to all other schools and allow an effective prioritisation of capital investment.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment, it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
The accommodation needs at the school referred to by the Deputy will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities. Any interim requirements will be considered by the Department in the normal manner (e.g. Emergency Works Scheme).
This allows the Department to keep a strong focus on the provision of additional capacity to cater for demographics, new housing developments and the rollout of additional special classes for children with additional needs. This approach reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.
214. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason full post-primary autism classes receive €0 in year-on-year funding, while their primary equivalents receive €4,020 in such funding; if she will commit to equalising this funding, a position supported by the NCSE; if so, in what timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8783/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government is committed to increasing funding to support schools and the Programme for Government commits to increasing capitation funding to schools of all types to ensure that schools can meet the elevated day-to-day running costs.
The commitment in the Programme for Government builds on the progress which has been made in recent years. The Department has secured €39 million in Budget 2026 towards increased capitation funding for primary, post-primary and special schools to provide additional financial support towards their running costs. This will see an increase in the standard capitation rates paid to schools of €50 per pupil for primary schools from €224 to €274 and of €20 per student for post-primary schools from €386 to €406. This will also allow for an increase of €20 in capitation rates for Urban Band One DEIS primary schools, increasing the mainstream pupil rate in these schools to €294. The increased capitation rates will also see special schools now receive the same rates of mainstream capitation, for young people aged 12 and over, as for their peers in mainstream post-primary schools. These increases will take effect from September 2026. This funding will benefit schools around the country in managing their day-to-day running costs.
The increases announced in Budget 2026 are in addition to the 12% increases as part of Budget 2025. The last three Budgets have resulted in an increase in the level of capitation grant rates of 49.7% (€91) paid to primary schools and 28.5% (€90) paid to post-primary schools.
The Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for the employment of relevant secretaries as per Circular 0036/2022.
The current standard rate of capitation grant is €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 per student in post-primary schools. Enhanced rates are also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.
The majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers, through the provision of resources such as Special Education Teachers and Special Needs Assistants. This is an estimated 25% of the total student population, or 240,000 children and young people with special educational needs, that are supported in mainstream classes.
Over 30,500 students with more complex needs are enrolled in special classes and special schools this school year – an increase of 67% since 2020.
The Department of Education and Youth provides funding and resources to support the opening of the new special classes, which includes teachers, special needs assistants, capitation grants, furniture and equipment grants and professional development training from the NCSE. In addition, funding for the repurposing of existing accommodation or the provision of modular accommodation for new special classes is also provided. The vast majority of new special classes are being provided in repurposed available school accommodation. New streamlined arrangements were introduced in Circular Letter 0080/2024 to provide grant funding for schools repurposing accommodation for special classes. Further information on these arrangements is available in Circular Letter 0039/0025 and also here.
Each special class at primary level is allocated 1 teacher and 2 SNAs and at post-primary level, schools receive 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs.
Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise schools on available supports. SENOs may be contacted using the contact details available on the NCSE website here.
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.
