Written Answers Nos. 681-694
681. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline the measures being taken to increase the number of autism class and special school places at post-primary level, in light of pupils completing primary autism classes who are unable to secure appropriate placements due to capacity shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12555/26]
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.
As demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates, my department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes.
In October 2022, my department wrote to all post-primary schools requesting that each school begin planning to provide for up to four special classes to meet the needs of students progressing from primary school. Last year my department issued a circular to all schools setting out new measures to support the forward planning of special education provision. Included in this circular was a reminder of the need for post-primary schools to continue planning for this level of provision.
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. Of these 102 are at post primary level. 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.
682. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that transition planning for autistic pupils is carried out in line with NCSE guidance, and that children are provided with placements appropriate to their assessed needs, sensory profiles and support requirements, rather than being offered any available place where no suitable provision exists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12556/26]
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 recognises the importance of supporting student transitions into and from school settings while ensuring that students with more complex needs are supported optimally.
The National Strategy and Action Plan for Lifelong Guidance is about helping people to make better choices about their education, career and life choices, through information, advice and guidance counselling services. The proposals in the action plan include providing guidance delivered by appropriately trained professionals for students in special schools for the first time.
In addition, the NCSE has published transition guidelines between all stages of education that are designed to assist parents to support their children to make successful transitions.
The NCSE is leading a nationwide pilot program in transitions planning for students attending special schools in Ireland. This initiative, known as the CES Pilot 2025/26, aligns with the goals and commitments outlined in the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES). The pilot aims to comprehensively explore and enhance the transition process for students from special schools to post-secondary options.
Under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025 – 2030 First Programme Plan of Action 2025-2026 there is a commitment that to work within Government and with others to improve retention rates and progression for disabled children and young people as they deal with transitions within education. This will support their participation and progress as they move from home through early learning and school to further education and enter the world of work or other adult paths.
An inter-departmental steering group co-chaired by my Department, DCDE and DFHERIS has been established to oversee this work. The group recently met to agree a schedule of work. A priority action for the group is the development of a National Policy on Transitions.
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.
683. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether consideration has been given to the inclusion of age-appropriate education on premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) within the school curriculum, including within Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE); the steps being taken to ensure that menstrual and reproductive health education reflects current medical understanding, supports early recognition of PMDD, and promotes awareness among students, parents and educators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12558/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMenstrual education is included in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle education.
In the Primary curriculum, menstruation is included under the Health Education strand of the Wellbeing specification.
In Junior cycle and Senior cycle, further opportunities are provided to deepen students’ understanding of reproductive health. In the context of Junior Cycle SPHE this includes learning about fertility and menstruation. Classroom learning materials developed to support the new Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum include lessons specifically designed to empower young people to talk openly about menstruation and to seek support and medical advice if they experience ongoing menstrual-related pain and discomfort that interferes with everyday.
In Senior Cycle SPHE students learn about male and female fertility across the life-cycle. In addition, there is a focus on developing young people’s health literacy skills, which includes building their understanding and confidence in accessing reproductive health information and services.
Menstruation education is also included in the Leaving Certificate Biology course.
The Programme for Government, Securing Ireland’s Future, includes the commitment to provide free period products in schools to ensure no student is held back due to period poverty. My officials are working to advance delivery on this important commitment and considering how funding might be identified that will allow free products to be made available to all post-primary and upper primary schools.
Arising from the work of an inter-departmental group on period poverty led by the Department of Health, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has established a procurement framework that includes period products across Governments departments and other bodies. During development of this Framework, at the request of this department, it was arranged that it could be accessed by any primary or post-primary school.
My Department will continue to participate in the work of the inter-departmental group and work to ensure the Programme for Government commitment is progressed.
684. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a primary school (details supplied) has been notified of a reduction of 1.5 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts in its allocation for the coming school year; the criteria and assessment process used to determine this reduction; whether her Department has considered the impact this reduction will have on pupils with additional needs, staff capacity and overall school inclusion; the engagement that has taken place with the school in advance of this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12559/26]
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.
SNAs are very important in supporting students with additional and significant care needs take part in school life. Because of this, the department has been increasing SNA numbers for many years. There are now over 23,000 SNAs working in schools. By the end of the 2026/27 school year, this number will be close to 25,000 across mainstream classes, special classes, and special schools.
Since 2020/21, the number of SNAs in schools has grown by 45%. Every county has seen an increase in SNA support over this period.
SNAs work as part of a whole-school team to support students with special educational needs. This team also includes nearly 22,000 special education teachers nationwide.
The number of SNAs a school needs can change for different reasons, such as changes in student numbers, changes in individual care needs, or students moving from primary to post-primary school.
When the NCSE reviews SNA allocations, it looks closely at the care needs of students in each school. This helps make sure that SNA support goes where it is most needed.
The role of the SNA is set out in DEY Circular 30/2014 and the NCSE process for SNA reviews is consistent with its provisions.
Every SNA review undertaken by the NCSE is a detailed and specific review of the care needs profile in that individual school. Where the NCSE identify during the review that the care needs have increased in an individual schools the necessary SNA resources to support those needs schools are provided.
Minister Naughton and I have listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities in recent days. In light of concerns raised we have paused the review of the SNA allocations.
Minister Naughton, myself, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach are engaging intensively to ensure that all of the concerns raised are really understood and children with special educational needs are fully supported.
No further letters on SNA review outcomes will issue until these engagements have concluded in the coming weeks.
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.
685. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12577/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to my previous response to the Deputy, I wish to confirm that the school referred to has been approved to enter my department’s pipeline for school building projects, to provide four mainstream classrooms and two science labs under my department’s SEN Repurposing and Modular Accommodation Programme as Phase 1 of this permanent extension project. Repurposing works within the school are also being undertaken to create two special educational needs classrooms.
Phase 2 of the development has been approved under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme. The approved accommodation includes seven mainstream classrooms, one music room, one design and computer graphics room, one home economics room, one graphics room, two engineering, construction studies and technology rooms with preparation areas, two special educational needs classrooms, two special education tuition rooms, one office, one staff room and ancillary accommodation. Delivery of this project has been Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) for delivery.
By way of update, the Stage 1 Preliminary Design Report remains outstanding from DDLETB. My department continues to await this documentation, and to date no indicative timeframe for its submission has been provided by the ETB. Once the report is received, the Department will commence progress its review.
686. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth when her Department will formally announce the reforms of the way in which teachers get CID, changing from the current two consecutive years for CID to one year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12579/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn early 2025 Minister McEntee announced that teachers who have taken up their first contract in a viable teaching post in September of this 2025 will become eligible for a permanent contract in September 2026.
The Minister announced this initiative to increase job security and to make teaching a more attractive, sustainable career. This measure will see teachers who started teaching in September 2025 gain a permanent contract a year earlier than they would have previously, by qualifying for the award of a Contract of Indefinite Duration, where they have been re-appointed following a competitive recruitment process.
This will provide teachers with the certainty that they need, particularly for those who may be considering large financial commitments, such as those applying for mortgages.
This new measure will apply to both newly qualified teachers, and those teachers who have not yet managed to secure a permanent position, where those teachers satisfy the relevant criteria.
Officials within my Department are currently engaging with the teacher unions and the school management bodies to finalise the details of the new scheme, and these details will be published once this process has been completed. This process is expected to conclude in Q1 this year.
The introduction of this measure is aimed at addressing the situation where teachers are providing ongoing service over a number of years without access to permanency.
687. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth with regard to the recent allocations of special classes for County Cork, the reason no new special classes have been allocated to the entire area of west Cork (details supplied); and if she can confirm that west Cork schools will be included in the allocation of the new special classes. [12613/26]
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 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.
Of the 301 new special classes, 199 are being established in primary schools and 102 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county with 30 for Cork so far. Further details on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
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.
688. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the current status of the permanent building project for a school (details supplied) and the projected timeline for delivery; if she will outline the reasons for progressing the project from Stage 1 to Stage 2 of the ADAPT programme since the submission of documentation in June 2025; if there are any contingency arrangements in place as the current temporary accommodation will reach capacity in June 2028; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12615/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra698. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will report on the progress to deliver the five approved autism classes for a school (details supplied) in the absence of a permanent building for the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12774/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 688 and 698 together.
The major project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 1 – preliminary design (assessment of site and location suitability and initial sketch scheme).
As part of the Stage 1 process the Design Team submit a Stage 1 Report to my Department. A preferred design option, including the scope and extent of works to be carried out form part of this report.
At the Stage 1 stakeholders meeting it was agreed that the Design Team would explore further design layout options and prepare a Stage 1 Addendum Report.
The Stage 1 Addendum Report has been received and is currently under review by Department officials.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027. This list includes 12 projects in County Cork.
These projects are in addition to €767.68 million in capital funding for Cork schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 157 schools 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 Cork 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.
In addition, since 2020 a total of 332 special classes have been opened in Cork, 26 of which were sanctioned for September 2026.
The accommodation needs at Owenabue ETNS will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
689. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the adequacy of existing protections for teachers and other school staff if they are injured in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12623/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra690. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the adequacy of existing protections for teachers and other school staff if they are forced to retire due to an injury they suffered in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12624/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra691. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the merits of creating a support scheme that would cover the costs of any medical treatment required for a teacher or other school staff if they are injured in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12625/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra692. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the merits of creating a support scheme that would cover the costs of any physio treatment required for a teacher or other school staff if they are injured in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12626/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra693. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to engage with the co-signees of a Bill introduced in Seanad Éireann (details supplied) in relation to the substantive issues that the Bill seeks to address; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12627/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra694. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans to engage with teacher unions in relation to the experience and planning framework for teaching staff if they are injured in the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12628/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra
