Written Answers Nos. 201-217
201. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently address the severe cuts in SNAs across multiple schools in Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10968/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision and care support for children and young people with special educational needs in our schools, including the allocation of special needs assistant (SNA) support to schools.
Reflecting the central role SNAs play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools the department has been steadily building the level of SNA support in our education system. By the end of the 2026/27 school year there will be close to 25,000 SNAs in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.
The number of SNAs in county Kerry has risen from 616 in 2020/21 to 861 this year, an increase of 40% in this time period. They play a key role in supporting children and young people with special educational needs as part of a whole school approach which also includes almost 22,000 special educational teachers across the country.
There are many reasons why the level of need for SNA support in schools may fluctuate including falling enrolments, reduced or increased care needs and changing demographics as children move from primary to post-primary schools.
The NCSE reviews of SNA allocation in schools across the country are a very detailed examination of the care needs in all settings within the continuum of provision in a school so as to ensure that SNAs are allocated to schools to support students who have the greatest level of significant care needs. Where an NCSE review identifies a decrease in the level of care need in a school and where this decrease is significant, it results in a reduction in the SNA allocation to that school. Schools that are not satisfied with the outcome of their SNA review may avail of the NCSE’s internal appeal mechanism. Furthermore, where a school is not satisfied with the outcome of the appeal on the basis that they consider the process was not followed, the school can refer the matter to the independently chaired Appeals Advisory Committee (AAC). Further information on these processes is available from the NCSE website: www.ncse.ie.
While the NCSE allocation and review processes are essential to ensure SNA support is provided where it is most needed, the department is mindful of the impact of a reduction in allocation on SNAs personally. This is among the reasons the department is working with the NCSE to develop an SNA redeployment scheme. This important policy initiative which is in the final stages of development will ensure that as far as possible, competent, knowledgeable, and experienced SNAs are retained in our schools.
The SNA redeployment scheme is being implemented for the 2025/26 school year, providing an opportunity for redeployment of SNAs as the need arises for the start of the 2026/27 school year. It is important to note that SNAs in surplus posts identified through the NCSE’s SNA Review process will remain in the relevant school for the rest of the 2025/26 academic year. Assuming no change to SNA allocations in the meantime, eligible SNAs in standard posts (both full-time and part-time) who opt for redeployment may be redeployed to a new post in September 2026.
Updates and final details of the SNA Redeployment Scheme, including a circular and comprehensive guidelines, will be published on the NCSE website and the SNA Information Hub on www.gov.ie as work progresses.
The 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.
202. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions her Department is taking to ensure that every child with special educational needs can access an appropriate school place in their local area, including the timely provision of special classes and special school places, adequate special education teacher and special needs assistant allocations, and access to therapies and supports within schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11073/26]
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.
In 2026, over €3 billion will be spent supporting students with special educational needs. It will ensure that specialist capacity continues to grow by providing 3,000 specialist places. The majority of these places will be available in special classes within mainstream schools. It will increase our special educational posts by 860 special education teacher and over 1,700 special needs assistant (SNA) posts. This will mean we will have almost 46,000 professionals dedicated to supporting students with special educational needs in our schools. This is one of the highest annual increases in posts to date and is a firm reminder of this government’s commitment to supporting students with special educational needs.
Budget 2026 has also afforded a number of new initiatives such as funding for the roll out of the Education Therapy Service (ETS), the introduction of extra special education teaching hours for post-primary schools to support coordination and transition efforts and indeed a special school package to support the unique challenges these schools face.
The Department of Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will also, this year, look at the profile of existing special schools. This work will ensure children and young people with complex educational needs can apply to their local special school and not have to travel long distances to access an education that meets their needs.
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 began sanctioning new special classes last month, which is several months earlier than last year. 301 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.
Question No. 203 answered with Question No. 191.
204. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements currently in place for the payment of architects, consultants and design teams engaged in the design of new school building projects; the average time taken by her Department to process and issue such payments; if her attention has been drawn to delays being experienced by design teams in receiving prompt payment for completed work; the reasons for any such delays; and the steps being taken to ensure timely payment in line with public sector prompt payment obligations. [9917/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department has a strong track record of delivery with over 1,400 completed school building projects, including large-scale projects, additional accommodation, and modular buildings delivered since 2020. The department also completed more than 4,000 smaller-scale school building improvements through emergency works and summer works schemes during this timeframe.
There are approximately 300 additional school building projects currently under construction.
My department relies on many stakeholders to support the scale of delivery and utilises many devolved delivery arrangements through a diversity of partners including devolved clients who are responsible for the payment of invoices of fees in accordance with conditions of engagement.
A structured payment process is in place, in line with my department's Design Team procedures and the conditions of engagement for consultants.
Where my department is made aware of any late payments, my officials endeavour to resolve promptly, by establishing the facts and dealing with the process in a proactive manner. In addition to this, my officials have met with the Consultants Professional bodies including the ACEI, RIAI and SCSI, covering the multi disciplines of a design team. The meeting held in December 2025 discussed payment terms, fees and processes etc. It was agreed that my department will engage with the Professional bodies every quarter going forward and also develop a series of presentations to assist in communication and additional training to strengthen coordination and payment processes. Since the meeting my officials have been contacted by individual companies to resolve any payment issues that may have arisen and will continue to engage with such companies to bring any relevant issues to a conclusion.
205. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the opening of the special school in Carraig na bFhearr. [10020/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
The school referred to by the Deputy is one of the five new special schools that have opened for the 2025/26 school year. This school serves the North City area of Cork City and opened in surplus accommodation in the Department owned school building, Gaelscoil de hÍde, Fermoy.
A former primary school property in Carraig na bFhearr is currently being repurposed to provide permanent accommodation for the school.
The repurposing project is being delivered under the Department’s SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme which facilitates the progression of the project as quickly as possible. The programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided in a timely manner and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects. This is a collaborative process between the Project Manager, School Authority and the Department.
The repurposing project is progressing well and every effort is being made to ensure that the remaining works are completed as quickly as possible.
206. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Youth her position regarding reports furnished to her and her Department regarding defects at a school (details supplied); whether any investigations have been carried out relating to such matters; the action taken to date; the further actions planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11019/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis that, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The CASWS operates on a multi-annual basis across a number of categories of works.
It is envisaged that approvals in any given year will involve a spread of categories rather than the traditional single category at a time. This is aimed at managing market capacity and maximising value for money opportunities for school authorities.
In November 2025, my colleague the former Minister of Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works.
My Department can confirm an application was received from the school in question for the upgrade of lighting in the school and EV provision, however the school was not on the list of approvals in the first tranche. Given that funding is limited in any particular year it is necessary to prioritise applications. Under the new climate action summer works scheme which operates on a multi annual basis, like previous summer works schemes, applications from schools that are not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.
It is anticipated that the next tranche of approvals will be in the latter half of 2026.
Full details of the of the announcement and the list of schools approved in the first tranche, the Circular (0029/2025) for the scheme and guidance documents for schools can be found at the below link; www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/.
My department have no records of any other applications being received through our Summer Works or Emergency Works relating to serious defects, however, it remains open to a school to apply for funding under the Department's emergency works scheme. The purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies.
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 and operates on the basis of the minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation.
207. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if digital literacy can be added to school curriculums to ensure responsible use of AI; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10989/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraExisting curricula at all levels already provide multiple opportunities to develop digital skills and digital literacy. Ongoing curriculum reform across primary and post-primary education is further strengthening this provision to ensure young people are equipped to use digital technologies responsibly and to recognise misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content.
At Primary level:
• The Primary Language Curriculum promotes digital literacy, supporting children to locate, evaluate and interpret information across text, visual and audio formats.
• The Primary Curriculum Framework identifies being a digital learner as one of seven key competencies, fostering curiosity, creativity and responsible technology use.
• The Primary Mathematics Curriculum encourages computational thinking, problem-solving and creative application of mathematical knowledge.
• The STEM Education Curriculum supports inquiry, design thinking and computational thinking.
• The Wellbeing Curriculum includes outcomes focused on Media and Digital Wellbeing, supporting safe and ethical use of technology and understanding media influence.
At Post-Primary level:
• The Framework for Junior Cycle embeds digital skills across all key skills and subjects, with a strong focus on responsible and ethical technology use.
• Short Courses in Digital Media Literacy and Coding explicitly develop students’ ability to analyse digital content, counter misinformation, and build computational thinking. Specifically in the updated Coding Short Course, students are tasked with learning: how to identify different AI models; about the potential advantages of using AI models, and; about the safe and ethical use of AI in coding.
• Junior Cycle English incorporates critical analysis of media texts and social media communication.
• Leaving Certificate Computer Science provides students with deep understanding of computing, algorithms, and the social impact of digital technologies.
• Across subjects such as History, English, SPHE and CSPE, students explore the role of digital media in society and learn to critically evaluate information.
Digital skills and literacy are also supported through:
Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024–2033:• Identifies digital literacy as a core learner skill and prioritises critical thinking, problem-solving and digital skills to help students recognise and respond to misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content.
STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026:• Promotes curiosity, creativity, ethical awareness and problem-solving to prepare learners for an increasingly digital and AI-enabled world.
Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027:• Supports all learners in using digital technologies through curriculum-aligned practice and Oide-led teacher professional learning that builds students’ digital skills and understanding.
208. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress her Department has made to increase the number of reading classes nationwide; the criteria being used to identify areas of greatest need; the timeline for the establishment of additional classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11078/26]
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.
At present, there are four special schools, and fourteen special classes attached to mainstream schools to support students with a specific learning disability such as severe dyslexia. I want to acknowledge the excellent work they do. It is important to note they were established at a time when there were much fewer additional supports in schools.
In pursuit of a more inclusive education system it is important, as far as possible to support students to attend their local mainstream schools. This means that children and young people can be educated with their peers and are not required to travel long distances to attend special schools or classes.
15,000 special education teachers have been provided to enable schools to achieve this objective. In practical terms this means schools get a substantial additional teaching allocation to support students with special education needs who are in mainstream classes.
The additional resources are intended to support students with the greatest level of need, including those with a specific learning disability such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or dysgraphia.
Of course, I recognise the importance of building the capacity of teachers in mainstream schools to meet the needs of all students. To support this, 338 places are funded each year for teachers to attend post-graduate special education needs programmes. The NCSE offers dedicated professional learning opportunities for teachers supporting students with additional needs. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) also provides professional learning opportunities that are available to all primary and post-primary school teachers on supporting children and young people with special educational needs.
Funding is also made available to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment to assist students. Schools can apply to the NCSE, through their local special educational needs organiser (SENO) for such support.
The need for any additional provision or resources for schools to support students with dyslexia is subject to continuouse review by the NCSE.
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.
209. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth when her Department will provide a second special education class for a school (details supplied); and if her Department will retain the second special education class in another school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10945/26]
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 promotes 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 began sanctioning new special classes last month, which is several months earlier than last year. 301 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 ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for students with special educational needs and will continue to review and monitor the situation as to where new specialist provision is required.
210. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will add additional schools in Carlow/Kilkenny to the National Development Plan priority list in 2026-2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11043/26]
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 3 projects in County Carlow and 3 projects in County Kilkenny.
These projects are in addition to €50.16 million in capital funding for County Carlow schools and €207.11 million in capital funding for County Kilkenny schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 24 schools in County Carlow and 43 schools in County Kilkenny have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are also currently 5 school projects in County Carlow and 5 schools projects in County Kilkenny under construction.
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.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and 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.
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 individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. 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.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
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 and approach for addressing same.
211. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the efforts being made by her Department to ensure that a green area is made available for use as a playing pitch by schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10983/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project to deliver 3 schools as an educational campus in Carrigtwohill, ( Carrigtowhill Community College, Scoil Mhuire Naofa Carrigtwohill, and Scoil Cliodhna Community National School), was delivered as part of My Department's Design & Build programme in Q4 2023.
Given the nature of the site a flooding specialist was procured as part of the planning process for this campus project , and a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA), Maintenance Plan and Flood Response Plan were provided. These essential flood maintenance and response measures have been included as part of the overall campus delivery.
The bunded green area/attenuation basin and stream will be subject to ponding of water and potential flooding at times given that these lands are designed to retain overflow flood waters during periods of heavy rainfall.
Planning permission was granted by Cork County Council for an entrance and access way. Planning reference 24/05905.
The scope of works and associated costs to provide the entrance and access way will be reviewed by my Department and department officials will update the schools upon completion of that review.
It is the intention that the green area access will be shared by all schools on the campus as an occasional recreational green area. See condition 3 - Planning reference 24/05905
My Department continues to have positive and productive engagement with the three schools and their patrons throughout all stages of this project and will continue to support the schools on the new school campus.
212. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that funding is provided for modular buildings to accommodate new sanctioned autism classes at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10031/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of almost 1,400 school building projects along with over 4,000 small-scale improvement works to meet priority maintenance needs and advance energy efficiency and climate goal. As part of this unprecedented investment, my department delivered a new 16 classroom primary school with dedicated special education provision for the school referred to by the Deputy.
Following a total capital allocation of €1.6 billion for 2025, the Government announced a further 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. The approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate. Repurposing and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. To support the delivery of special classes in good time, a new streamlined approach to funding was made available to repurpose existing accommodation for SEN in 2025. Further information on SEN repurposing supports can be accessed on www.gov.ie. The department will continue to engage directly with the school in order to provide an optimum approach for supporting special education provision in the area.
213. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of and percentage of students in primary and secondary education who attend class in non-permanent modular classrooms. [10480/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTemporary accommodation in schools may be rented or purchased and funded by my department or by the school authority itself, with or without department sanction. For that reason it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a complete picture in respect of all non-permanent modular classrooms at schools as requested.
As the Deputy will appreciate, within the context of a rapidly increasing school population my department's priority is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place. In this regard, it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
The timing and duration of the accommodation need is also considered in determining the optimum accommodation solution – a short-term accommodation requirement does not require a long-term accommodation solution. For example, a school may require a temporary building in circumstances where a major school construction project is planned. Such temporary accommodation is removed when the major project concerned is completed. The length of time it is necessary to make use of temporary rented accommodation will vary from project to project.
Many schools based in rented buildings and on rented sites are already part of the pipeline of projects under the school building programme and their longer-term accommodation will be addressed as part of these projects. Maximising the opportunities to achieve value for money involves matching, as best as possible, the accommodation requirement with the appropriate accommodation solution. This is relevant for all accommodation projects progressed by my department.
The changing landscape in relation to enrolments means that accommodation requirements can vary locally and regionally and between short, medium and long-term and this is a relevant factor considered by my department in determining the type of accommodation solution to be put in place.
While the number of students located in these rented modular units is a matter for individual school authorities, I can confirm that currently there are 654 contracts over 412 primary and post primary schools which have rental accommodation on site.
The Modular Accommodation Framework is a key part of the Department’s strategy for the provision of good quality functional accommodation to meet the permanent accommodation requirements for prioritised individual schools.
Modular accommodation is a feature of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which describes a range of manufacturing and innovative alternatives to traditional construction. There are many benefits of adopting MMC in the school sector ranging from faster delivery of construction projects to minimising disruption in live school environments. My department has recently established a new Modular Framework of suppliers with new design guidance which provides high quality school accommodation and increased sustainability to improve the energy performance of school accommodation, resulting in improved comfort, lower energy bills and reduced carbon emissions. Framework suppliers use factory controlled precision through digitalisation and strict quality control processes to create consistent quality construction.
This new modular framework with new design guidance requires the building system to have a design life of 60 years. The factory precision of MMC contributes to the ability of this form of construction to deliver consistently robust buildings which are easy to manage and maintain, providing high quality learning spaces for the students of today and the future.
214. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Youth to urgently approve the progression of the major devolved project for a college (details supplied) to tender stage, given that the project was initiated in 2014 and has incurred significant costs without any physical improvements to the existing school buildings; her views on whether the current school building is no longer fit for purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10460/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis project has been devolved to the school Board of Management for delivery, with the assistance of the Joint Managerial Body (JMB). The brief for the project is to provide an extension and refurbishment which will deliver a 750-pupil post primary school building.
The project is currently at Stage 2b (post planning process) of the architectural process which allows for detailed design and planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents.
The department 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.
The 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, the department 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.
These projects are in addition to €71.61 million in capital funding for Sligo schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 24 Sligo schools have been upgraded either through provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. There are currently 6 school projects in Sligo under construction.
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.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and 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.
The department recognises 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 individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. 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.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
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 and approach for addressing same.
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.
215. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on works on the extension of a school (details supplied), and the development of other schools on the site. [10765/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe joint major building project for the schools referred to is currently at Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning - Developed Design - which is a crucial element of the architectural planning process as it is at this stage that the design is developed to a stage where it can be fully cost planned and prepared to lodge for statutory approvals.
The Design Team submitted their Stage 2(a) Submission report to my Department in January 2024 for review. Upon review, some key concerns were identified by Department officials, and the school authorities and Design Team were advised in advance that in place of the Stakeholders meeting, there would be a further interim Stage 2(a) workshop to discuss and assist the Design Team in progressing their Stage 2(a) submission in a positive manner.
The Design Team were asked to complete a review and audit of the floor area schedules, and to also refine some design elements in order to meet the approved schedule of accommodation.
A further interim workshop was held on 22nd March 2024, between my Department and the Design Team Architect, where further refinements and adjustment to floor area were discussed.
Upon receipt of the revised Stage 2(a) Report Department officials carried out an initial review and arranged an architectural workshop with the Design Team Lead in May 2025 to discuss further.
In early June 2025 a further meeting was held with the wider Design Team, school authorities and Department officials in attendance. At that meeting the school were provided with a progress update and advised that the Design Team was due to submit an Addendum S2a Report to the Department.
The outstanding information for the Addendum Stage 2a Report was received in the Department on 31st October 2025.
A date for the Stage 2a Stakeholders Meeting will be advised upon completion of the Addendum Report review.
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 individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. 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.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
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 and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at St John Boscos JNS & SNS and Mary Help of Christians will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
216. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to address the overcrowding in schools in County Louth. [10848/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department has a robust forward planning process which considers population and enrolment data in order to plan for school provision and respond to population changes.
My department uses a geographic information system (GIS), which facilitates the analysis of data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
As part of the demographic demand analysis, my department also factors in planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO, along with regular engagement with local authorities. This ensures that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes at a local level, where the picture can quickly evolve due to new large scale residential development.
The granular analysis carried out by my department informs school capacity planning, so that the level of school place capacity matches the local school going population, as much as possible.
Where capacity pressures are identified additional school accommodation can be provided by way of extensions to existing schools or new school developments.
There are 6 major capital projects for schools in Co. Louth included in the first tranche of NDP Implementation Plan, which I announced recently. These projects are to progress to tender and/or construction in 2026 and 2027, and consist of 3 post primary schools, two special schools and one primary school.
• Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School;
• De La Salle College Dundalk;
• St. Vincent’s Secondary School, Drogheda;
• St. Ita’s and St. Mary’s Special Schools;
• Marymount National School, Drogheda.
Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my department's website at www.gov.ie, and this information is updated regularly. This includes a direct link to the recently announced list of 105 projects prioritised to progress to tender and/or construction in 2026 and 2027. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
My department works closely with Local Authorities, including Louth County Council, in respect of their county development plans, and any associated local area plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across their functional areas.
Other factors, such as school of choice or admissions policies can also lead to local demand pressures. My department works with school patrons and management bodies to best provide a suitable school place to children and young people in their locality.
217. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide funding for pilot schemes in primary and secondary schools which focus on the development of real-world critical thinking skills and problem solving; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11044/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraReal-world critical thinking and problem-solving skills are already central to the primary and post-primary curricula, where learners are encouraged to apply knowledge in authentic contexts, analyse information, evaluate evidence, and develop solutions to practical challenges. Across curriculum frameworks and subject specifications, there is a strong emphasis on inquiry-based learning, STEM education, digital literacy, and project work, all of which are designed to build these competencies in a structured and progressive way.
At Primary level:
• The Primary Language Curriculum promotes digital literacy, supporting children to locate, evaluate and interpret information across text, visual and audio formats.
• The Primary Curriculum Framework identifies being a digital learner as one of seven key competencies, fostering curiosity, creativity and responsible technology use.
• The Primary Mathematics Curriculum encourages computational thinking, problem-solving and creative application of mathematical knowledge.
• The STEM Education Curriculum supports inquiry, design thinking and computational thinking.
• The Wellbeing Curriculum includes outcomes focused on Media and Digital Wellbeing, supporting safe and ethical use of technology and understanding media influence.
At Post-Primary level:
• The Framework for Junior Cycle embeds digital skills across all key skills and subjects, with a strong focus on responsible and ethical technology use.
• Short Courses in Digital Media Literacy and Coding explicitly develop students’ ability to analyse digital content, counter misinformation, and build computational thinking. Specifically in the updated Coding Short Course, students are tasked with learning: how to identify different AI models; about the potential advantages of using AI models, and; about the safe and ethical use of AI in coding.
• Junior Cycle English incorporates critical analysis of media texts and social media communication.
• Leaving Certificate Computer Science provides students with deep understanding of computing, algorithms, and the social impact of digital technologies.
• Across subjects such as History, English, SPHE and CSPE, students explore the role of digital media in society and learn to critically evaluate information.
Digital skills and literacy are also supported through:
Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024–2033:• Identifies digital literacy as a core learner skill and prioritises critical thinking, problem-solving and digital skills to help students recognise and respond to misinformation, disinformation and AI-generated content.
STEM Education Policy Statement 2017–2026:• Promotes curiosity, creativity, ethical awareness and problem-solving to prepare learners for an increasingly digital and AI-enabled world.
Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027:• Supports all learners in using digital technologies through curriculum-aligned practice and Oide-led teacher professional learning that builds students’ digital skills and understanding.
There are already a number of Department-funded pilot projects being delivered through Oide that focus on developing learners’ real-world critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These include
• BRICS (Primary), a collaborative STEM initiative with DCU, Athlone Education Centre and TUS that uses engineering design challenges and programmable robotics to build pupils’ critical thinking, problem-solving and computational skills through hands-on learning.
• Digital Citizenship Champions (Primary), delivered with Webwise, which supports teachers to embed digital citizenship across the curriculum and develop pupils’ critical thinking, ethical online behaviour and media literacy through a whole-school approach. These pilots help inform future practice by testing scalable, curriculum-aligned approaches in schools.
