Written Answers Nos. 235-254
235. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the home tuition support grant was refused for a child (details supplied), despite extensive evidence given by primary school and psychologists in relation to her assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8878/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for:
Pre-School Children with autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria
Children seeking a Special School or Special Class placement
Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school
Students, enrolled in schools, with school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school
In relation to categories d) where an application is received in respect of a student with a diagnosis of school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, the principle that home tuition cannot be provided as an alternative to school applies.
Eligibility under these categories is assessed having regard to, although not limited to, the following criteria:
• The student’s attendance levels during the previous school year.
• Psychologist’s/psychiatrist’s report which should (i.) Clearly confirm a diagnosis of school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety. (ii.) Provide details of medical or therapeutic intervention plans in place with a view to reintegrate the student back into his/her school.
• Details of engagement with the relevant support agencies (e.g., School, National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), Education Welfare Officer (EWO), Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), TUSLA (Child and Family Agency), HSE, NCSE).
In relation to the case referred to by the Deputy, and as detailed in the decision letter issued to the parent on 27 January 2026, the child in question did not meet the eligibility criteria for Home Tuition. Based on the attendance data provided by the school for the 2024/2025 academic year, the Department was not in a position to sanction the grant.
As outlined in the decision letter, parents may appeal this decision. Appeals should be submitted in writing to the address below, quoting the Home Tuition (HT) Reference Number. The submission should outline the grounds for the appeal and include any relevant additional documentation or reports.
Address: Special Education Section, Department of Education and Youth, Cornamaddy, Atlone, County Westmeath, N37 X659
Email: special_education@education.gov.ie
Telephone: (090) 648 4187
236. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) can be included in the DEIS urban band 1 programme. [8884/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTackling educational disadvantage is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16.5 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027, to support the implementation of the new DEIS Strategy and to introduce the DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year.
The DEIS programme is targeted at schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. The new DEIS Strategy, which will be published in Q1 of this year, will focus on improving the opportunities and achievement levels of children at risk of educational disadvantage, developing more innovative approaches to tackling educational disadvantage, and working towards a more flexible system of supports to ensure that a school can receive the right support at the right time.
Any future changes to the identification model and overall allocation of resources will be considered within the context of the new DEIS Strategy.
237. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that her Department has completed a refurbishment plan for a school (details supplied); the immediate steps she will take to sanction this much needed refurbishment plan as the school has been waiting for some time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8918/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is intended that the school referred to by the deputy will relocate to a former primary school building that was vacated by a special school in late 2025.
My department is in ongoing engagement with the patron in relation to the school's relocation and the department carried out a technical visit to the building proposed for the relocation of the school.
My department has appointed a project manager who has examined options for refurbishment works at the planned building for this school. This report is currently under review in the Department and we will revert to the school's patron on full completion of this review.
238. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a list of all local authorities with and without a Gaelcholáiste, in tabular form. [8922/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlease find attached requested information. Data provided is collated from the preliminary enrolment data for 2025-2026, which can be found at the link below. Gáelcholaistí are those schools with an Irish classification of "all pupils taught all subjects through Irish".
The preliminary data will be replaced by the final data for 2025-2026 which we expect to publish in June 2026.
(www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/post-primary-schools-enrolment-figures/).
|
Academic Year 2025-2026 |
|
|
Local Authority |
Gáelcholaiste |
|
Carlow County Council |
1 |
|
Cavan County Council |
|
|
Clare County Council |
|
|
Cork City Council |
3 |
|
Cork County Council |
3 |
|
Donegal County Council |
5 |
|
Dublin City Council |
2 |
|
Dun Laoghaire Rathdown |
3 |
|
Fingal County Council |
2 |
|
Galway City Council |
1 |
|
Galway County Council |
10 |
|
Kerry County Council |
3 |
|
Kildare County Council |
2 |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
1 |
|
Laois County Council |
|
|
Leitrim County Council |
|
|
Limerick City & County Council |
2 |
|
Longford County Council |
|
|
Louth County Council |
|
|
Mayo County Council |
2 |
|
Meath County Council |
1 |
|
Monaghan County Council |
1 |
|
Offaly County Council |
|
|
Roscommon County Council |
|
|
Sligo County Council |
|
|
South Dublin County Council |
3 |
|
Tipperary County Council |
|
|
Waterford City & County Council |
2 |
|
Westmeath County Council |
|
|
Wexford County Council |
1 |
|
Wicklow County Council |
2 |
|
Grand Total |
50 |
239. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether there is any progress on payment of an outstanding grant for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8946/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, my Department recently engaged with schools that have received additional mainstream teaching allocation posts informing them of a new pilot initiative which sought to automate the process for issuing the relevant Furniture and Equipment and ICT grant funding to qualifying schools. Whilst it was initially envisaged that these payments could be facilitated in Q4 of 2025 some additional measures have been identified for inclusion in this process and these are in the process of being implemented. My Department will engage further with the affected schools in due course to advise on next steps.
240. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Youth the financial supports available to schools for safety measures outside; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8956/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFinancial supports relating to the provision of funding for issues raised by the Deputy can fall under a number of different delivery mechanisms including, most frequently, Minor Works, Summer Works Scheme and the Emergency Works Scheme.
Since 2020, €330 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants, have been allocated to schools. This includes the payment of Minor Works Grants totalling almost €30 million for the school year 2026/2027 which has issued in December 2025
Primary and special schools need not apply for Minor Works Grant aid. Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and special schools on the following basis:
€5,500 basic grant plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil enrolled in the school on the 30th of September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school.
Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed, to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.
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 is open for applications throughout all of the year.
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.
241. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Youth the next steps for a school (details supplied) on the Tranche 1 list to progress to construction;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8961/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is now at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning - Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals, which have been secured, and the preparation of tender documents.
My department received the Stage 2b submission report from the Design Team earlier this year in March 2025. My department commenced a detailed review of this report by the multi disciplinary team and comments were issued to the Design Team requesting clarification. The Design Team have addressed these comments and the responses to those queries are currently under ongoing detailed review.
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.
My department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of these 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. This list includes the project at Scoil an Chroi Naofa, Ballinalsloe and 9 other projects in County Galway.
These projects are in addition to €250.85 million in capital funding for Galway schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 88 schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are currently 17 school projects in Galway under construction.
Another 10 school projects will go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027, and this summer, 20 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Summer Works Scheme / Climate Action scheme. In addition, since 2020 a total of 90 special classes have been opened in Galway, 12 of which were sanctioned for September 2026
The 105 prioritised projects will progress to tender and/or construction on a rolling basis over the course of 2026 and 2027 and within the context of NDP funding parameters. The timing of project progression will reflect the need to carefully manage the rollout of these projects to construction on a controlled basis to ensure that projects are delivered efficiently, align with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines and Capital Works Management Framework and remain within the parameters of NDP funding.
Department officials will continue to engage closely with patron bodies, management bodies, and schools with respect to the timing of the progression of projects to tender and/or construction over the period 2026 to 2027. This will include continued engagement with Scoil an Chroi Naofa with respect to the progression of its project to tender.
The current status of all projects continues to be set out under item number ten at the following link: www.gov.ie. This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
242. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the list of schools to be designated DEIS Plus 1 will be known. [8962/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTackling educational disadvantage and helping children and young people reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. Currently, the DEIS programme supports almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students, with an annual investment of over €180 million. Budget 2026 allocates an additional €16.5 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027, to support the implementation of the new DEIS Strategy and introduce the DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year.
The DEIS Plus scheme will provide additional support to schools with the highest levels of need, in line with the Government’s commitment. It will target a cohort of schools with high concentrations of children and young people experiencing intergenerational disadvantage, where there is a significant gap in outcomes and there are barriers to those children and young people achieving their potential.
The details of the DEIS Plus scheme are currently being finalised within an overall programme of work to tackle educational disadvantage and will be outlined in the new DEIS Strategy, which will be published in Q1.
243. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to publish the data sets that were used against the criteria her Department indicated were the determining factors for the selection of school construction projects as announced on 28 January 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8982/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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. This list includes 4 projects in County Wicklow and Wexford.
The first tranche of 105 projects covers the initial two-year period of NDP rollout. The next tranche of projects will be finalised and published afterwards (post 2027) following a stakeholder engagement process to identify the next most urgent priorities. This stakeholder engagement will be undertaken in 2026 and 2027 and will include an assessment of how well existing capacity is maximised and enrolment policies and processes are prioritising local special education provision and mainstream requirements. As part of this engagement any interim accommodation needs or required works will be explored. This engagement will also inform the next tranche of prioritised projects. The Department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
The prioritisation of projects was focussed on facilitating the projects at Stage 3 to the construction stage as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. The prioritisation of projects at Stage 2b was focussed on those projects which had achieved a grant of planning permission and were, therefore, at an appropriate stage of readiness for progression to tender. Within that cohort of Stage 2b projects, projects at special schools were afforded a top priority. For other schools, a multi-faceted qualitative assessment of relative priority took account of schools that did not have permanent accommodation and had ongoing demographic pressures, special education capacity being provided, demographic pressures relative to capacity at that school and across the area, the extent to which schools are prioritising local school place needs, any significant condition issues at the school, any interim accommodation constraints, and the duration of the project to date.
The 105 prioritised projects consist of 80 large-scale and ASA (additional school accommodation) projects along with 25 projects to be delivered under the Modular Accommodation Programme.
The 80 large-scale and ASA projects are estimated to cost just under €1.6bn.
Of the 80 projects,
• 45 projects that are already at tender stage (Stage 3)
• 35 projects that have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b).
Regarding the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3), these projects are being progressed on a rolling basis to ensure that the Department of Education continues to operate within NDP funding parameters. These projects include 19 new school buildings of which the majority are either special schools or primary/post-primary schools that are currently operating from interim accommodation and have an urgent need for permanent accommodation.
Regarding the 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b), these have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools. These projects include new school buildings for 12 schools – of which the majority of these schools are either special schools or primary/post-primary schools that currently are operating from interim accommodation and have an urgent need for permanent accommodation. It is envisaged that these projects will be progressed to tender over the course of 2026 and 2027 and within the context of NDP funding parameters.
The 25 modular projects primarily relate to additional SEN capacity for the 2026/27 school year. The number of modular projects is set to increase as further NCSE sanctions are issued. With over 260 SEN classes already approved for 2026/2027, additional projects will be prioritised to facilitate their opening through the Modular and SEN repurposing programmes.
There are many facets to the rollout of the Department’s capital programme. For example across County Wexford, there are currently 7 projects under construction and this summer, 8 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Summer Works Scheme/Climate Action Scheme. In addition, in early January a further 5 schools in County Wexford were approved for inclusion in an expansion of the Department’s EU RePower retrofit programme which will facilitate a full retrofit of their existing school buildings.
244. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a list of all schools with planned capital projects that are at Stage 2B; the list by county, and if possible, constituency; when each project first engaged with her Department on same capital project, and when the project was listed as being at Stage 2B. [8983/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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. This includes the completion of circa 300 school buildings currently in construction.
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 with a capital investment of €1.6 billon.
These prioritised projects will progress to tender and/or construction on a rolling basis over the course of 2026 and 2027 and within the context of NDP funding parameters. The timing of project progression will reflect the need to carefully manage the rollout of these projects to construction on a controlled basis to ensure that projects are delivered efficiently, align with the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines and Capital Works Management Framework and remain within the parameters of NDP funding.
The 105 prioritised projects consist of 80 large-scale and ASA (additional school accommodation) projects along with 25 projects to be delivered under the Modular Accommodation Programme.
The 80 large-scale and ASA projects are estimated to cost just under €1.6bn.
Of the 80 projects,
• 45 projects that are already at tender stage (Stage 3)
• 35 projects that have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b).
Regarding the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3), these projects are being progressed on a rolling basis to ensure that the Department of Education continues to operate within NDP funding parameters.
These projects include 19 new school buildings of which the majority are either special schools or primary/post-primary schools that are currently operating from interim accommodation and have an urgent need for permanent accommodation.
These 105 projects will provide over 27,000 additional and modernised school places a particular priority is the expansion of capacity in our special schools.
• The first tranche of projects covers the initial two-year period of NDP rollout, and the next tranche of projects will be finalised and published afterwards (post 2027) following a stakeholder engagement process to identify the next most urgent priorities. This stakeholder engagement will be undertaken during 2026 and 2027 and will include an assessment of how well existing capacity is maximised and enrolment policies and processes are prioritising local special education provision and mainstream requirements. The Department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
• Provision of additional special classes each year to meet annual needs with target to have up to 80% of them opened through repurposing existing accommodation.
• Continued strong focus on expansion of capacity at existing special schools and opening some new special schools where necessary. This will assist with the rollout of the Education Therapy Services.
The current status of all projects continues to be set out under item number ten at the following link: [www.gov.ie]. This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction. The list of all projects and the stages are available on the Departments website and is updated to show progression on a monthly basis.
245. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools and secondary schools where her Department has already carried out an energy audit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8984/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn preparing for the decarbonisation of the school estate my Department needed to establish a national energy profile of the school sector.
A pilot phase of the Schools Energy Inventory project was completed with support from the European Investment Bank Advisory Hub programme. This was completed in December 2022 and included 601 schools across five Counties, Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wexford and Wicklow.
Funding was subsequently secured under the REPowerEU programme to complete this work for all remaining schools in 2025 and 2026. During this phase, 3,170 surveys have been completed to date with the balance due to be completed by the end of Q1 2026.
The phases involve energy assessors visiting the schools and gathering focused information on energy use for 2019, building types, age, and size along with an overview of general fabric and energy aspects of electrical and mechanical systems energy performance and energy consumption characteristics of each school.
Each school is surveyed by an experienced construction professional who gathers approximately 160 pieces of data, which includes high level building areas, different fabric elements and information about lighting, heating and domestic hot water etc. It also includes questions on building fabric condition.
This data is entered on a tablet computer onsite, it is then imported into the Department’s Geographical Information System (GIS) and processed into a relational database, which performs numerous calculations to determine a School Energy and Carbon Estimated Rating (SEACER).
The rating includes considerations of primary energy and carbon. It includes a comparison with a similar Notional school building for scaling and benchmarking purposes and is based on the Non-Domestic Energy Assessment Procedures and statistical techniques. This high level and strategic approach which is driven via the Department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) enables the database to be kept up to date to reflect future building projects etc.
This is a very cost-effective approach for an energy asset rating system for the Department and has significant advantages in that rather than producing individual standalone ratings and reports it can collectively capture the range of relevant issues for analysis centrally by the Department.
The innovative approach of bringing energy and condition data together in the one survey database has significant potential to assist with future prioritisation of decarbonisation and investments in the school estate, enabling identification and targeted development of future school sector energy and decarbonisation programmes that will reduce overall reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.
Further information on the surveys completed to date are outlined below:
Energy Inventory
|
Total Surveys Complete (to date): |
3,771 |
|
Total Primary Schools Complete: |
2,988 |
|
Total Special Schools Complete: |
117 |
|
Total Post Primary Schools Complete: |
666 |
*In the survey, Special Schools have been classified as Primary Schools.
246. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has carried out an energy audit at a school (details supplied); and the details of that audit available to the school. [8985/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn preparing for the decarbonisation of the school estate my Department needed to establish a national energy profile of the school sector.
A pilot phase of the Schools Energy Inventory project was completed with support from the European Investment Bank Advisory Hub programme. This was completed in December 2022 and included 601 schools across five Counties, Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wexford and Wicklow.
Funding was subsequently secured under the REPowerEU programme to complete this work for all remaining schools in 2025 and 2026. During this phase, 3,170 surveys have been completed to date with the balance due to be completed by the end of Q1 2026.
The phases involve energy assessors visiting the schools and gathering focused information on energy use for 2019, building types, age, and size along with an overview of general fabric and energy aspects of electrical and mechanical systems energy performance and energy consumption characteristics of each school.
Each school is surveyed by an experienced construction professional who gathers approximately 160 pieces of data, which includes high level building areas, different fabric elements and information about lighting, heating and domestic hot water etc. It also includes questions on building fabric condition.
This data is entered on a tablet computer onsite, it is then imported into the Department’s Geographical Information System (GIS) and processed into a relational database, which performs numerous calculations to determine a School Energy and Carbon Estimated Rating (SEACER).
The rating includes considerations of primary energy and carbon. It includes a comparison with a similar Notional school building for scaling and benchmarking purposes and is based on the Non-Domestic Energy Assessment Procedures and statistical techniques. This high level and strategic approach which is driven via the Department’s Geographic Information System (GIS) enables the database to be kept up to date to reflect future building projects etc.
This is a very cost-effective approach for an energy asset rating system for the Department and has significant advantages in that rather than producing individual standalone ratings and reports it can collectively capture the range of relevant issues for analysis centrally by the Department.
The innovative approach of bringing energy and condition data together in the one survey database has significant potential to assist with future prioritisation of decarbonisation and investments in the school estate, enabling identification and targeted development of future school sector energy and decarbonisation programmes that will reduce overall reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate the deployment of renewable energy.
The school to which the Deputy refers, was surveyed on the 14/07/2022 as part of the Pilot Energy Inventory programme.
The survey process is ongoing across the entire school estate and scheduled for completion by the end of Q2 2026. In due course, once all survey data has been collected and undergone robust Quality Assurance processes, the Department will determine an appropriate and legible format for issuing the survey data to the school sector.
Only once the survey data has undergone the robust Quality Assurance processes, will analysis in relation to SEACER and Building Condition ratings be able to commence. As such it will likely be 2027 before any results of the survey will be available for distribution.
247. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special education places at each primary and second level school in County Wexford and County Wicklow, in tabular form. [8986/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the national agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. For the 2025/26 school year the NCSE sanctioned 406 new special classes bringing to 3,741 the number of special classes in our schools. Combined with 300 new special school places this has created 2,700 new school places for students with special educational needs.
Of the 406 new special classes sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year 16 are in County Wexford, 13 at primary and 3 at post-primary level. This brings to 135 the number of special classes currently in operation in the county.
Of the 406 new special classes sanctioned for the 2025/26 school year 12 are in County Wicklow, 7 at primary and 5 at post-primary level. This brings to 132 the number of special classes currently in operation in the county.
My department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE has begun sanctioning new special classes this month, which is several months ahead of last year. 263 have been sanctioned to date and many more 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. 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. 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 reach their full potential.
248. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the removal of a school (details supplied) that had been part of the preliminary tender document of the NDP rollout; the reason for this removal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8993/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra249. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any appeal mechanism is available for a school (details supplied) that was omitted from the finalised NDP rollout, despite being included in the preliminary tender document; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8994/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra250. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the permanent school project for (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8995/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 248, 249 and 250 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Education and Youth has 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.
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.
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 the school referred to by the Deputy will be considered as part of ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
251. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a child in County Kildare will be allocated a special class place (details supplied). [9007/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs. As your query refers to an individual placement, I will arrange to have it referred 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 continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE has begun sanctioning new special classes this month, which is several months ahead of last year. 263 have been sanctioned to date and many more 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. 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. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
Schools seeking to establish new special classes should continue to engage with the NCSE at local level. In sanctioning new special classes, the NCSE have due regard to the level of need in an area and the existing provision, including how many places are expected to be available through the normal movement of students from primary to post-primary or finishing school. Budget 2026 provides funding for over 400 new special classes.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
252. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a child in County Kildare will be allocated a special class place (details supplied). [9008/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs. As your query refers to an individual placement, I will arrange to have it referred 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 continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE has begun sanctioning new special classes this month, which is several months ahead of last year. 263 have been sanctioned to date and many more 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. 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. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
Schools seeking to establish new special classes should continue to engage with the NCSE at local level. In sanctioning new special classes, the NCSE have due regard to the level of need in an area and the existing provision, including how many places are expected to be available through the normal movement of students from primary to post-primary or finishing school. Budget 2026 provides funding for over 400 new special classes.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
253. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide further details relating to an announcement (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9012/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which advocates that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
My department and the NCSE continue to work closely with school patron bodies, school management bodies and schools to confirm new special classes for the next school year 2026/2027. The NCSE has begun sanctioning new special classes this month, which is several months ahead of last year. 263 have been sanctioned to date and many more 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. 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. Details of the new special classes are available on the NCSE website.
Of the 263 new special classes, 173 are being established in primary schools and 90 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county with 58 new special classes confirmed for Dublin and 26 for Cork so far. Further details on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Where an additional special class or classes are to be established at a school and the school does not have accommodation for that class(es) it is open to the school to apply for capital funding under my department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme.
The required accommodation can be provided by means of reconfiguration of existing accommodation, the provision of modular accommodation, or a traditional construction building project. Schools are provided with appropriate classrooms and with ancillary facilities appropriate to the needs of the school and the available space.
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.
254. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on each new school building project in County Galway, including those at planning, design, tender and construction stages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9020/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs 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. This list includes 10 projects in County Galway.
These projects are in addition to €251.39 million in capital funding for county Galway schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 88 schools in county Galway have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are also currently 20 school projects in county Galway under construction.
The current status of all projects, including completions, is set out under item number ten at the following link (www.gov.ie). This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
