Written Answers Nos. 645-664
645. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of staff from her Department seconded to other Departments or agencies in the Civil Service, per annum from 2022 to date in 2026; and the details of the Department or agency, in tabular form. [18590/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraDepartment staff on secondment are tabulated below for the period 2022 to date in 2026. Officers are included if they were seconded for any part of the given year, which does not imply that they were on secondment for the entirety of the year in question.
/ie/oireachtas/debates/questions/supportingDocumentation/2026-03-05_pq-611-05-03-2026_en.xlsx
|
2022 Secondments |
Number of staff |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta |
4 |
|
An Garda Siochana |
1 |
|
Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants |
1 |
|
Caranua |
1 |
|
City of Dublin Education and Training Board |
1 |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse |
1 |
|
Courts Service |
1 |
|
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
3 |
|
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science |
6 |
|
Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation |
1 |
|
Higher Education Authority |
1 |
|
Houses of the Oireachtas |
1 |
|
Maynooth University |
2 |
|
National Development Authority |
1 |
|
St. Luke's Institute of Cancer Research |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
26 |
|
2023 Secondments |
Number of staff |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta |
4 |
|
Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants |
1 |
|
Caranua |
1 |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse |
1 |
|
Courts Service |
1 |
|
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
3 |
|
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science |
8 |
|
Higher Education Authority |
1 |
|
Houses of the Oireachtas |
1 |
|
Maynooth University |
2 |
|
Monaghan Education Centre |
1 |
|
National Development Authority |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
25 |
|
2024 Secondments |
Number of staff |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta |
4 |
|
Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants |
1 |
|
Caranua |
1 |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse |
1 |
|
Department of An Taoiseach |
1 |
|
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
4 |
|
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science |
8 |
|
Higher Education Authority |
1 |
|
Maynooth University |
1 |
|
Monaghan Education Centre |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
23 |
|
2025 Secondments |
Number of staff |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta |
4 |
|
Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants |
1 |
|
City of Dublin Education and Training Board |
1 |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse |
1 |
|
Department of An Taoiseach |
1 |
|
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
4 |
|
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science |
10 |
|
Drumcondra Education Centre |
1 |
|
Higher Education Authority |
1 |
|
Maynooth University |
1 |
|
Monaghan Education Centre |
1 |
|
University College Cork* |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
27 |
|
2026 Secondments |
Number of staff |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta |
4 |
|
Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants |
1 |
|
City of Dublin Education and Training Board |
1 |
|
Commission of Investigation into the handling of historical child sexual abuse in day and boarding schools |
3 |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse |
1 |
|
Department of An Taoiseach |
1 |
|
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |
3 |
|
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science |
5 |
|
Drumcondra Education Centre |
1 |
|
Higher Education Authority |
1 |
|
Maynooth University |
1 |
|
Monaghan Education Centre |
1 |
|
University College Cork* |
1 |
|
Grand Total |
24 |
*Partial secondment, officer works part of their time in the Department of Education and Youth and part in University College Cork.
646. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of staff from her Department seconded to a firm in the private sector, per annum from 2022 to date in 2026; and the details of the company, in tabular form. [18608/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere were no staff members seconded from the Department of Education and Youth to firms in the private sector in the period 2022 to 2026.
647. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of staff from her Department seconded from a firm in the private sector, per annum from 2022 to date in 2026; and the details of the company, in tabular form. [18626/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere were no staff members seconded from firms in the private sector into the Department of Education and Youth during the period 2022 to 2026.
648. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No's 538, 539, 540 and 541 of 10 February 2026 (details supplied), the measures her Department is taking to ensure that home-educated students are still permitted to uphold their right to be home educated and have their exam (AAC) assessed in an appropriate, fair and equal manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18654/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am committed to ensuring the delivery of Senior Cycle as outlined in the Programme for Government, which commits to continuing the programme of redevelopment of Senior Cycle to ensure that students benefit from up-to-date curricula, more diverse skills development and assessments, and reduced stress levels.
Students, as well as teacher representatives and academic experts, have consistently asked for the introduction of additional assessment components (AACs) beyond a terminal examination. Currently, and as it relates to Leaving Certificate 2026, 28 of the 40 subjects have components beyond terminal written examination. Those components take a variety of forms including oral and practical examinations and have a range of weightings from 20% to 70%. This variety will be maintained as each new or redeveloped specification is introduced from Leaving Certificate 2027 onwards.
It is important to note that not all additional components take the form of coursework; that coursework is not a new feature of the Leaving Certificate; nor is the requirement to authenticate such work new. For many years, where coursework forms part of the State Examinations Commission (SEC) assessment process, authentication has been essential to ensure that the work submitted is the legitimate and verified work of the candidate.
All new and revised subject specifications will have an AAC outside of a written examination, worth at least 40% of the overall mark. AACs aim to assess skills and competencies of candidates that might not be readily assessed in the terminal written examination. Under the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme, the first tranche of 9 new and revised Leaving Certificate subjects have been introduced for this school year and are available to study for all students, including those educated at home, and will be examined for the first time in 2027.
The new and revised Tranche 1 specifications, which themselves were published in August 2024, are supported by a number of key publications designed to assist all students in their study of the subjects concerned. In November 2024, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) published Guidelines to support the completion of the AACs in the relevant Tranche 1 subjects. In April 2025, the SEC published four sample examination papers in each of the Tranche 1 subjects and in September 2025 published sample AAC briefs in the relevant Tranche 1 subjects. The relevant live AAC briefs were published in January 2026 together with the schedule for their completion and submission to the SEC. In addition as the Deputy is aware, the SEC published a consolidated Coursework Rules and Procedures document in November 2025.
The SEC’s role is to provide a high-quality, candidate-centred State examinations system that is progressive, fair and trusted. This includes maintaining the integrity of the examination process, ensuring equity across all candidates, and upholding national and international confidence in Ireland’s examination standards. Robust arrangements for the completion, authentication, and verification of coursework are central to preserving that integrity.
As outlined in the SEC’s response to the previous Parliamentary Questions to which the Deputy refers, the coursework authentication process is an ongoing process of engagement and oversight over a period of time by teachers of all students, rather than a single ‘point in time’ engagement. The authentication process for coursework is intended to ensure that each piece of coursework presented for assessment is the candidate’s own individual work, completed in full compliance with the coursework regulations and requirements.
The SEC has provided a specific guidance note for candidates in receipt of home tuition hours, available on examinations.ie (www.examinations.ie/docs/schoolscirculars/EN-1011-4236490.pdf) . Fair and consistent application of the SEC’s Coursework Rules and Procedures is essential to upholding the integrity of the Irish State examinations system, underpinning equity and fairness in order to enable all candidates to display their achievements on an equal footing.
The SEC operates an established and separate application process for external candidates (i.e. those who are not students of an SEC recognised school or centre), and a Memorandum of Instructions is provided in order that external candidates fully understand the rules with which they must comply before they enter. These rules include a requirement that they must first seek the permission of the school principal in the school they wish to sit their oral, practical or written examinations. They may select different schools for these various components once they have the permission of the relevant school principal. External Candidates provide evidence of their permission to the SEC using the School Permission Form available on the SEC website.
Two External Examination centres are also provided in Dublin each year by the SEC. External Candidates can select these centres for their written examinations when entering for the Leaving Certificate examinations and no permission is required. These centres are for written examinations only and candidates will still require school permission for any other components.
Similar arrangements as have applied for a considerable number of years in respect of how external candidates access the State examinations are being maintained as the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme is enacted through the introduction of new and revised subject specifications.
649. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current position regarding the pause on the allocation of additional special needs assistant posts; and whether this pause applies to schools that are still awaiting the outcome of reviews or appeals relating to their SNA allocations. [18672/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra651. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the interim guidance which has been issued to schools that are awaiting the outcome of SNA reviews, particularly where the absence of a decision is impacting their ability to provide appropriate supports to students with additional needs. [18674/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 649 and 651 together.
This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Special education funding will exceed €3 billion in 2026 – up 58% since 2020 and the highest amount ever provided.
The number of special needs assistants (SNAs) allocated to schools nationally has increased by 45% between the 2020/21 school year and the present. 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.
SNAs play a key role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
It is important to note that there have been increases in SNAs in all counties and across all education settings since 2020, including mainstream, special classes and special schools.
I have listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities.
It has now been agreed that there will be no reductions to special needs assistants for the next school year 2026/27.
All schools reviewed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and allocated additional resources will receive them in the upcoming school year.
It was agreed that the SNA redeployment scheme, the SNA workforce development plan and changes to a 2014 circular outlining the role of a SNA will be advanced before any further decisions are taken.
The priority will be to ensure that the child-centred approach to the provision of special education is retained and enhanced in these policy developments.
After these key documents are agreed and published, the NCSE can commence reviews of supports provided to schools for the 2027/28 academic year which will uphold the integrity of the process, which allocates supports based on the needs of children.
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.
650. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the number of schools currently awaiting the outcome of SNA allocation reviews, including a breakdown by county; and the average length of time schools are waiting for a decision. [18673/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra653. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to ensure that students with additional needs are not adversely affected while SNA reviews are pending; and when outstanding decisions are expected to be finalised. [18676/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 650 and 653 together.
Enabling 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.
The NCSE is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I will arrange for your query to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply. Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas email address.
My department and the NCSE 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.
652. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the interim supports, if any, that are being made available to schools that are considering measures such as implementing a reduced school day for students who require additional support due to insufficient SNA provision. [18675/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Special education funding will exceed €3 billion in 2026 – up 58% since 2020 and the highest amount ever provided.
The number of special needs assistants (SNAs) allocated to schools nationally has increased by 45% between the 2020/21 school year and the present. 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.
SNAs play a key role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
It is important to note that there have been increases in SNAs in all counties and across all education settings since 2020, including mainstream, special classes and special schools.
I have listened carefully to all of the issues raised by parents and school communities.?
It has now been agreed that there will be no reductions to special needs assistants for the next school year 2026/27.
All schools reviewed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and allocated additional resources will receive them in the upcoming school year.
It was agreed that the SNA redeployment scheme, the SNA workforce development plan and changes to a 2014 circular outlining the role of a SNA will be advanced before any further decisions are taken.
The priority will be to ensure that the child-centred approach to the provision of special education is retained and enhanced in these policy developments.
After these key documents are agreed and published, the NCSE can commence reviews of supports provided to schools for the 2027/28 academic year which will uphold the integrity of the process, which allocates supports based on the needs of children.
The NCSE can make a local special educational needs organiser (SENO) available to the school to discuss their current deployment of SNA supports in the school and to put these supports to the best advantage of the students. The NCSE in-school support service is also available to schools to offer further guidance and support.
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.
654. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide guidance to parents who are finding it difficult to secure a second class school placement for their child in their locality (details supplied). [18677/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTusla Education Support Service (TESS), which includes the statutory Educational Welfare Service (EWS), is under the remit of my department and operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000. The primary role of the EWS is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education.
Educational welfare officers (EWOs) are based throughout the country to offer advice and guidance to parents who need support in ensuring that their child attends schools regularly. They work with children, young people and their families who are experiencing difficulty with school attendance; this is done through, home visits, educational welfare conferences and collaboratively working with different agencies. The main priority of the work is around the welfare of children and young people and to ensure that concerns around attendance are addressed before attendance becomes a crisis issue. EWOs also support parents and guardians who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school placement for their child.
All referrals received by the EWS are screened and assessed by a senior educational welfare officer and receive a response to indicate whether the case has been allocated to an EWO, the case is on a waiting list, or the referral has not met the criteria for intervention by an EWO and the reasons why.
Referrals to the EWS may be made throughout the school year. A referral for a child without a school place is prioritised by the EWS and an EWO is assigned immediately to support families who are in this situation. It will remain an open case until such time as a school place is offered and accepted.
My department has been informed by TESS that the child in question is an open and allocated case with the EWS. An EWO has engaged with the parents to provide advice and support and to assist in sourcing a school place for their child.
655. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a letter of eligibility has been issued to enable a child (details supplied) to attend a special school; to clarify if this matter has now been resolved and a letter has issued; if not, the steps the NCSE and the Department will take to ensure that the child can take their place in school this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18711/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs.
The NCSE has advised the department that a notification of enrolment has been received for the child named. This notification is currently being processed in line with national procedures. Once completed, the NCSE will liaise with the school and the family regarding the next steps.
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.
656. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth why there is a reported shortage of guidance in relation to how parents can access letters of support to enable their children with special educational needs to obtain school places; given that this appears to be impacting on a large number of families; given the information regarding the requirement was made too late for many to act within the normal timescale; to outline whether the matter will be resolved shortly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18712/26]
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.
In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0039/2025.
This year to facilitate earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year, an earlier date of 1 October was set for parents to complete the process.
The NCSE is undertaking analysis of information provided through the Parents Notify process which closed on 1 October to plot demand for special class places for the 2026/27 school year. The NCSE will also consider vacant places in existing special classes and places that will become available through the regular transition of children from primary to post-primary schools.
This new timeline was publicised widely and communicated with schools and special education advocacy groups and parent representative bodies. The NCSE also undertook a lot of work at local level to ensure that families were aware of the process and consequently report a significant level of engagement and contact from families before 1 October.
The NCSE has advised my department of an increasing number of children and young people who have come to their attention since the 1 October timeline. I am pleased to say that the NCSE has recommenced the issuing letters of eligibility to children and young people who have made contact with them after the 1 October timeline and who meet the criteria for a special class or special school placement.
Each school prepares and publishes their own admissions policy and runs their own admissions process in line with the Admissions Act. Individual schools will determine the outcome of applications received by them in accordance with their own admissions policy and procedures. I want to reassure families that they will be supported in seeking a placement and that no child or young person should be prevented from starting school. There are a wide range of supports in mainstream classes, special classes and special schools for children and young people with additional needs.
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.
657. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline contacts her Department has had in respect of the accommodation needs of a school (details supplied); if she appreciates the concerns of the school community on the matter and can provide assurances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18717/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my department is in receipt of an application for funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
The purpose of my department's ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school's existing accommodation.
The Deputy will be aware that 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 met 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 these projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities.
I can confirm that the school's application is under assessment in this context and the school authorities will be contacted directly when a decision has been made.
658. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the school transport scheme review, and when any recommended changes will be implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18719/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. The scheme has expanded significantly over the past six years. In that time, the numbers of children and young people using the service have grown from under 120,000 pupils in 2018 to over 181,000 pupils by the end of 2025, which equates to an increase of circa 50%.
It was outlined at the time of the review’s publication that the proposed changes to the eligibility criteria will likely increase demand for the scheme. On this basis, it would be prudent to implement the proposed changes on a phased basis to ensure its rollout is as smooth as possible.
A phased implementation of the School Transport Review’s recommendations began at the start of the 2024/2025 school year where the Department began testing the feasibility of a number of approaches through a series of pilot programmes; these pilot programmes are held in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann.
A total of fourteen pilot projects took place in the 2024/2025 school year and will continue for the current school year.
Following the closing date for payment for the 2025/2026 school year the Department, in collaboration with Bus Éireann, assessed where dedicated school transport/pilots may be successfully delivered, and a further eleven pilots were approved. The Department asked Bus Éireann to review where additional capacity may be available for concessionary pupils who paid on time and would become eligible if the revised school transport scheme criteria was rolled out in full.?
Due to ongoing challenges in the wider transport sector, including availability of drivers and vehicles, any expansion of services must be carefully planned and phased. While pilot projects are being considered in select areas to test revised eligibility criteria, these pilots are limited in scope and capacity.
All pilots – including those which commenced in the 2024/2025 school year – are being monitored and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the 2025/2026 school year. Findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised School Transport Scheme.?
Implementation of the review recommendations will continue to be planned subject to resources being available to meet the increased demand.
659. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils enrolled in Irish-medium education at primary level and post primary level in Longford-Westmeath, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18726/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs per the preliminary enrolment data for 2025-2026 there are 680 pupils enrolled in Irish-medium primary schools in Longford and Westmeath. Gaelscoileanna are those schools with an Irish classification of "All subjects through Irish".
There are no Gaelcholaistí in Longford or Westmeath.
Data is collated from the 2025-2026 preliminary enrolments which can be found at the link below.
We expect to publish final enrolments for 2025-2026 in June 2026.
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/post-primary-schools-enrolment-figures/
The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, includes a commitment to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand and support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children.
In that context, on 6 November 2025, my department published a ‘Policy for Irish-Medium Education outside of the Gaeltacht’. The policy sets out my department’s vision that high-quality Irish-medium education will be available to all, in inclusive and multicultural educational settings.
A Taskforce on Models of Provision for Irish-medium Education was established in November 2025 as a key action under the policy. The role of the taskforce is to provide a platform for collaboration between my department and key stakeholders to develop a pathway to increase provision of Irish-medium education.
The taskforce's work is expected to be completed within one year. It will make recommendations to my department on areas such as the criteria for Irish-medium education provision, how to support schools transitioning to Irish-medium education and mechanisms to facilitate expansion of provision.
660. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the length of time it has taken to complete an addendum report review; when her Department expects to complete this process (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18728/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFurther to Parliamentary Question 16367 of 2026, in relation to the campus project for the schools referred to by the Deputy.
Addendum reports are typically requested to be submitted by design teams to my department where there is a requirement to provide an update on new information or provide key additional information after an initial report has been completed and submitted. Addendum reports could also be used to correct mistakes or omissions in the original document.
Addendum reports differ in their size and complexity. It is not a stand-alone report; instead, it is meant to modify, clarify, or add new information to a previously submitted report. The addendum does not replace the original document but complements it by filling in gaps or providing new insights during the project lifecycle. Typically the addendum will inform department officials and allow them to close individual stage queries. As such there is no average timeline for completion of an addendum review by department officials as the overall volume and complexity of stage submission reports is considerable and requires comprehensive and careful review.
661. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide details on the addendum report review process; the average length of time this takes for large projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18729/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddendum reports are typically requested to be submitted by design teams to my department where there is a requirement to provide an update on new information or provide key additional information after an initial report has been completed and submitted. Addendum reports could also be used to correct mistakes or omissions in the original document.
Addendum reports differ in their size and complexity. It is not a stand-alone report; instead, it is meant to modify, clarify, or add new information to a previously submitted report. The addendum does not replace the original document but complements it by filling in gaps or providing new insights during the project lifecycle. Typically the addendum will inform department officials and allow them to close individual stage queries. As such there is no average timeline for completion of an addendum review by department officials as the overall volume and complexity of stage submission reports is considerable and requires comprehensive and careful review.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs.
Projects in the departments pipeline of projects at design stages are included as part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender. This includes projects where an addendum report is with department officials for review. The department led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender.
662. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions her Department is taking to increase the number of specific speech and language disorder / developmental language disorder special classes, given the Taoiseach’s recent comments (details supplied) in Dáil Éireann recognising the strong outcomes associated with such classes and his commitment to engage with the Minister of State for Special Education on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18732/26]
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.
Students with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) or Speech Sound Disorder (SSD) have access to speech therapy services either through the speech and language therapy services provided in special class settings by the Health Service Executive (HSE), or through the HSE’s primary care service. There are currently 64 special classes nationwide for students with a DLD or SSD.
As the HSE provides speech and language therapy to students in these classes the opening and retention of such classes is contingent on the availability of HSE resources. For this reason, close engagement and coordination occurs among stakeholders at a local level.
Importantly, students with specific speech and language difficulties that are not enrolled in a special class may qualify for additional teaching support under the school's special education teaching support provision. 15,000 special education teachers have been provided to enable schools to achieve this. In practical terms, this means schools get a substantial additional teaching allocation to support students with special education needs who are in mainstream classes.
It is important to note that the criteria for access to the DLD/SSD class do not exclude children with any co-morbid conditions e.g., ADHD, DCD, Dyslexia etc. In the case of SSD of unknown origin, there may be children for whom their SSD is of unknown origin but there are co-morbid conditions, these children may be suitable for the DLD-SSD class and there are others where the SSD results from a particular medical or biomedical diagnosis and these children do not meet the current criteria.
In all cases, the reason a student is being considered for a DLD-SSD Class must be because of the impact of their SSD of unknown origin and/ or their DLD diagnosis on their access to education and not because of the impact of their co-morbid condition on their access to education.
I recognise the importance of building the capacity of teachers in mainstream schools to meet the needs of all students. To support this, 330 places are funded each year to teachers to attend post-graduate special education needs programmes. The NCSE also offer dedicated professional learning opportunities for teachers supporting students with additional needs.
It is important to me and this Government that we build on the initiatives recently introduced to ensure that no matter where a child is enrolled, they have access to the required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals. An example of this is the Educational Therapy Support Service (ETSS) which sees 39 occupational and speech and language therapy posts embedded within the NCSE. The service is designed to build the capacity of teachers (and other school personnel as relevant) to provide as effectively as possible for the needs of all students.
While the provision of clinical therapy supports to children is the responsibility of the HSE, my department is working with the Department of Health, the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE to develop and strengthen more coherent structures to enable children and young people to access therapeutic supports across both health and education.
663. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is engaging with a school’s (details supplied) request for modular accommodation that can facilitate the opening of two additional autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18743/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my department has received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
The purpose of my department’s ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.
The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for the department and officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider School Planning Area for future years.
The department is guided by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in relation to the requirement for special classes in the first instance. If the NCSE sanction a special class at the school in question the school can submit this sanction letter to my officials and the school's application for accommodation will then be reviewed in the context of the department's NDP priorities, whereby projects will be rolled out on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities.
The application from the school in question will be kept under review in this context.
664. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasons for the recent closure of a school (details supplied), including the dates on which the school has been closed; the formal health and safety or other legal powers relied upon by the patron or board; and any directions or guidance issued by his Department to the school or patron in relation to this closure. [18751/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra665. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is satisfied that the prolonged closure of a school (details supplied) is compatible with the State’s constitutional obligation to provide for the education of every child and with statutory duties in respect of children with special educational needs [18752/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra666. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific measures she will put in place to ensure that a special school cannot again be closed for an extended period because of behavioural incidents or staff injury, including mandatory contingency and continuity-of-education plans for all special schools; clear national protocols favouring partial or phased provision rather than full closure; and maximum timelines within which such plans must be activated when serious risk to health and safety is identified. [18753/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra667. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will introduce binding national guidelines on the management of dysregulation and high-risk behaviour in special schools, including positive behaviour support, trauma-informed practice, and de-escalation approaches, with monitoring and compliance mechanisms; and if so, the timeline for their development and implementation. [18754/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra668. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the risk-assessment, occupational health and staff support frameworks that will be mandated in all special schools in order to reduce the risk of staff injury while maintaining children’s access to in-person education; and whether these frameworks will be subject to regular independent review. [18755/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra669. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the long-term corrective actions being implemented in a school (details supplied) to address the underlying causes of dysregulation and staff injury, including changes to class sizes and staffing ratios; additional specialist and substitute staff; enhanced training, in-school therapeutic supports; any environmental or infrastructural works; and if she will provide a timeline and funding allocation for these measures. [18756/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra670. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to commit to a time-bound, fully resourced action plan for a school (details supplied), co-designed with parents and staff, with clear milestones, reporting requirements and accountability structures to restore and sustain safe, full-time education for all enrolled pupils; and if she will publish this plan. [18757/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra671. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has assessed the extent to which shortages in therapeutic supports and specialist staff in special schools contribute to increased dysregulation and health and safety incidents; and if so, the national measures she will introduce to ensure that all special schools have adequate therapeutic and behavioural supports to prevent future closures. [18758/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra672. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the assessment, if any, which was carried out of the impact of the closure of a school (details supplied) on the rights of the child, including the right to education and to equality of treatment for children with disabilities; whether any child-rights or equality impact assessment was completed; and if she will publish any such assessment. [18759/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra673. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she accepts that prolonged denial of in-person education for a cohort of highly vulnerable children with complex needs, through the closure of a special school, would not be considered acceptable in a mainstream setting; and the steps she will take to ensure parity of treatment between children in special schools and those in mainstream schools in relation to continuity of education. [18760/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra674. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to commission an independent review of the circumstances leading to the closure of a school (details supplied) including consultation with parents and staff, with a view to making system-wide recommendations on how the State can better vindicate the educational rights of vulnerable children and avoid similar situations in future; and if they will publish the findings. [18761/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra675. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth state whether they are satisfied that parents of pupils attending a school (details supplied) have been provided with timely, accurate and sufficient information on the reasons for the closure, the expected duration, and interim educational arrangements; and if not, what minimum standards on communication will the Department now put in place for parents in special schools in crisis situations. [18762/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra676. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline what interim education provision (including home tuition, outreach teaching, temporary placements, remote or blended supports or other measures) is being put in place for pupils of a school (details supplied) during the closure; how these supports are being allocated and accessed, and how the Department is ensuring that these children’s right to education is being vindicated while the school remains closed. [18763/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 664 to 676, inclusive, together.
This 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.
Special schools support children and young people aged between 4 and 18 years of age with the most complex special educational needs and ensure positive links are established and fostered between the home, school and other agencies for these students.
My department actively engages with the representative bodies for special schools, in order to help to address some of these additional challenges these schools face over their mainstream counterparts.
A number of new measures have been introduced in recent years to support special schools including additional administrative leadership posts, additional post-primary provision and additional targeted funding.
The school referred to by the Deputy is funded, resourced, and supported by my department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) with ongoing advice and guidance available to the school staff, school management and school patron. This is provided through the various teams and agents working with the school including NCSE, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), the Inspectorate and the in-school therapy team and reflects this Government’s commitment to ensure that children and young people with the most significant needs are prioritised for support.
As patron, Cork Education and Training Board (ETB) is continuing to develop the capacity of all its individual special schools to meet the needs of students and the whole school community. The department and the NCSE are in continuing engagement with Cork ETB; this builds on close engagement over recent months on a range of measures to support this school.
Bespoke whole of school training and guidance has been provided in recent weeks to all staff on supporting students and managing behaviours of concern. This NCSE team, in collaboration with NEPS, the Inspectorate and the in-school therapy team, will continue to engage with and support all staff, on an ongoing basis, to provide training and support.
All of the teams and agents working with the school, are responding in a bespoke manner to the identified needs of the school.
The department, NCSE and Cork ETB continue to engage with the school on what additional supports may be necessary to support the school.
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.
