Tuesday, 17 Feb 2026

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna (695)

Micheál Carrigy

Ceist:

695. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the SNA allocation for a school (details supplied); if she is aware that the proposed reduction of a .5 SNA post will leave 164 children, including those with chronic medical conditions (epilepsy and asthma) and severe behavioural needs, with only one SNA; if she has considered the safety implications of this reduction given that the principal will be moving to a teaching role next year and will be unable to assist in emergency evacuations; if she will take into account the school's ongoing construction of a new autism classroom and application for an additional special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12641/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth

The 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.

Irish Language

Ceisteanna (696)

Mairéad Farrell

Ceist:

696. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the injustice being experience by students sitting their Leaving Certificate exams in relation to the implementation of Irish-language bonus marks; if she will intervene to ensure that the Department of Education and the State Examinations Commission immediately return to the long-established practice of applying bonus marks in full to all written assessed work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12692/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Youth

As the Deputy will be aware, my department recently published a circular outlining the extension of Irish bonus marks to include all components of State examinations, including additional assessment components (AACs) and coursework. The publication of the circular delivers on a commitment made in the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Implementation Support Measures document published in May 2025. This was subsequently reiterated in an Information Note to schools communicated in August 2025.

The extension of bonus marks set out in the Circulars applies to all students taking their Leaving Certificate examinations in 2027 and in subsequent years. The existing Irish bonus marks policy, as set out under Rule 29 of the ‘Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools 2004/2005’, continues to apply for students sitting their written examinations this year, in 2026.

The extension coincides with the examination of the first Tranche of revised subjects as part of Senior Cycle Redevelopment which are currently being studied by fifth years and will be examined for the first time in 2027.

Circular 002/2026 acknowledges the value of the AACs in each subject and their intended integration into the teaching and learning experienced by students. It also recognises that a number of subjects within Tranche 1 which are taken by very significant numbers of students that were previously examined solely by written examination now have coursework components with a significant weighting. In these circumstances, it is considered appropriate to include coursework components completed in Irish for the first time. Also, to not do so would reduce the efficacy of the current Irish bonus marks policy in those subjects.

From 2027 onwards, the extension will apply to all coursework, in all subjects – not just those in Tranche 1 with an AAC of a minimum 40%. This is to ensure students in that cohort and each subsequent cohort are not disadvantaged by their respective subject choices. The extension of Irish bonus marks does not apply to earlier cohorts, including 2026, as those annual cohorts will not engage with AACs introduced under Senior Cycle Redevelopment in the same way as those from 2027 will do so.

All students completing their Leaving Certificate in each respective year are being treated in the same fashion as any other student in the given year.

The State Examinations Commission has also recently published circular S10/26 ‘Application of the Irish Bonus in State Examinations’, outlining the operational dimensions of the policy change including the applicable criteria and parameters relating to the awarding of the bonus marks.

I note the Deputy refers to injustice to some students but without specifying the nature of or in what way such an injustice might arise. All students completing their Leaving Certificate in each respective year are being treated in the same fashion as any other student in the given year.

The rationale for the extension of bonus marks to coursework is as I set out above. Critically, were the extension not made now, it would significantly dilute the benefit of the bonus in the first instance.

It does not apply to earlier cohorts, including 2026, as those annual cohorts will not engage with additional components under Senior Cycle Redevelopment in the same way as those in 2027 will do so.

In regard to students in the Leaving Certificate 2026 cohort, the completion dates for coursework in some subjects have already passed. In that instance, for example, were it the case that Circular 002/2026 was to be extended to Leaving Certificate 2026; those students taking subjects where coursework has already been completed could not receive any bonus marks (including those applicable to the written examinations) as it is a requirement of the Circular that both the coursework and written examination be completed through Irish.

In that circumstance, students in the 2026 cohort could be treated differently to each other based solely on their subject choices made two years ago. It must also be acknowledged that the Leaving Certificate Established and Leaving Certificate Applied are both two-year programmes. The introduction of significant changes to the Irish bonus marks policy, mid-way through students’ final year as they are preparing for their examinations in June, would also raise significant issues in relation to fairness and equity.

My department has a long-standing policy of encouraging the active use of the Irish language by all students and in all school communities. The extension of the Irish bonus marks builds on this objective, encouraging the use of the Irish language by all learners, in all schools.

The application of the Irish Bonus will be reviewed as subjects are redeveloped under the redevelopment programme.

Schools Building Projects

Ceisteanna (697)

Dessie Ellis

Ceist:

697. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a new school building which will replace the existing school building for a school (details supplied) will be built; the reason the timeline presented to the school by her Department to begin construction is not being adhered to; when construction on a new build will begin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12740/26]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Youth

The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning – Developed Design, where the preferred design option is developed to a stage where the project can be fully cost planned, and prepared to lodge for statutory approvals.

This major project is being delivered under my Departments ADAPT Programme.

The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction.

The brief for this project is to provide a new replacement 16 classroom primary school plus accommodation for pupils with special educational needs at the existing site in Finglas. The current school building will remain in operation until the replacement school is delivered and will be demolished thereafter.

My Department has reviewed the Stage 2(a) Submission. The Stage 2(a) Stakeholders meeting between the School Authorities, Design Team, Project Manager, and my Department, was held on 15th January 2025. The meeting concluded with a request for the Design Team to submit a Stage 2(a) Addendum report addressing issues raised by my Department at the meeting.

My Department have received the Stage 2(a) Addendum report. Upon review of the Stage 2(a) Addendum report, my Department will advise all Stakeholders regarding the further progression of the project.

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 20 projects in County Dublin.

These projects are in addition to €1,794.95 million in capital funding for Dublin schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 244 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 64 school projects in Dublin under construction.

Another 20?school?projects will go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027, and this summer, 53 schools?are approved to?undergo works as part of the Summer Works Scheme / Climate Action scheme.

In addition, since 2020 a total of 459 special classes have been opened in Dublin, 58 of which were sanctioned for September 2026.

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.

The accommodation needs at Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.

Question No. 698 answered with Question No. 688.

Undefined

Ceisteanna (699)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Ceist:

699. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address critical issues raised in correspondence regarding school resources (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12801/26]