Written Answers Nos. 705-724
708. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth the up-to-date situation regarding her Department’s additional school accommodation scheme for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18879/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter my Department's pipeline of projects under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The project will provide a two-classroom special educational needs (SEN) base and a general-purpose room. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.
A Stage 1 Design Report for the project was submitted to my Department in Q4 2023. Following an initial review, a preliminary Stage 1 meeting with the school authority and the design team took place in November 2024. The purpose of this meeting was to review the emerging design proposals, provide guidance to the team, ensure compliance with the Design Team Procedures, and confirm that the project was developing in line with the cost parameters set out in my Department’s Infrastructure Guidelines.
Following this meeting, the design team was to further develop the design in line with the guidance provided and submit a revised Stage 1 report for my Department’s consideration. A revised report was submitted by the school authority in January 2026 and is currently under review from both a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the public Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
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, my Department has also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
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.
My Department recognises that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, my 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 my department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
709. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a child with mixed abilities who accepts a placement in a mainstream primary school and is granted access to a special needs assistant automatically forfeits their place on a special school waiting list; if she will clarify the policy position in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18883/26]
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.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an admissions policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
Under the provisions of this act, all schools are required to have admissions policies which have been approved by the patron following consultation with staff and parents of students who are attending the school. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.
Parents may apply to enrol their child in a school of their choosing and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the student should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Nonetheless, it may result in some students not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Any family seeking a placement is urged to contact the NCSE via the contact details available on the NCSE's website. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to provide the location of these vacancies and advice as to the supports available to students with special educational 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.
710. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total anticipated costs associated with her foreign travel for St Patrick's Day; the delegation size; and if a breakdown can be provided on these costs including on accommodation and flights. [18889/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraDue to a change in my commitments, I have not travelled, as originally planned, for St Patrick’s Day this year. I was due to be accompanied by two officials. The total cost of cancelled flights is €460.11. There are no other costs associated with the cancellation of this trip.
711. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of mixed-abilities special education classes that will be required from September 2026 in the constituency of Fingal West; the number of children currently identified as requiring a place in such classes in September 2026; the measures being taken by her Department to ensure that sufficient places are provided to meet this demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18911/26]
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.
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 in January of this year, which is several months earlier than last year. 351 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 351 new special classes, 237 are being established in primary schools and 114 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county with 78 new special classes confirmed for Dublin 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.
712. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the teaching allocation schedule for primary schools will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18917/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraStaffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2026/27 school year are currently being prepared. Once finalised, the arrangements will be published on the Department website.
713. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider recognising a year long/ full time temporary contract as a viable contract for CID; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18918/26]
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 have engaged with the teacher unions and the school management bodies to finalise the details of the new scheme, and CID circulars 20/2026 (Primary) and 21/2026 (Post Primary) were published on the Department’s website.
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.
These circulars do not provide for the recognition of temporary service as viable contracts for CID. A viable post is a post that for a reasonable period, comes from the school allocation and does not relate to temporary cover. A reasonable period is considered to be at least one full school year. A CID may be awarded for a teacher covering for a teacher on a career break or a secondment.
714. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional qualifications needed for teachers to teach in a Gaelscoil; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18919/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).
An Teastas Gaeilge is required by teachers employed in Gaeltacht post-primary schools, teachers employed in schools where Irish is the ordinary language instruction and teachers teaching any subject through the medium of Irish (apart from Irish itself) in any school.
Exemption from the examination for the Teastas Gaeilge do Mhuinteoiri larbhunscoile will be given to any applicant who has a degree in Irish from a recognised degree awarding authority and in which Irish was a subject in the final examination or who has passed the Oral Irish Test for registration as a secondary teacher or who has passed the Oral Examination for the Teastas I d'Teagasc na Gaeilge or who has passed the Oral Test for the Ceard Teastas Gaeilge.
Information regarding the required qualifications for post-primary schools can be found on the Department’s website www.gov.ie (please see Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Post Primary).
Irish language requirements are also in place for primary teaching. Teachers must be able to teach the Irish language and having studied Irish to Leaving Cert. level is required.
Fluency in Irish is required to teach in an Irish-medium school and it is the responsibility of the school’s patron and board of management to ensure that job candidates have a satisfactory level of Irish to teach in an Irish-medium school.
715. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if financial assistance is available to parents who are required to make long journeys following on from the cessation of a bus service (details supplied) in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18953/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from primary school and post primary school of children who reside remote from their nearest school. Transport to and from the facility mentioned by the Deputy is outside of the remit of the School Transport Scheme.
716. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth when additional reading classes will be made available in schools, particularly in North Kerry, for children with severe dyslexia and literacy challenges; the number of reading classes currently in operation in the area; whether her Department is aware of children waiting for places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18954/26]
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.
At present, there are four special schools, and fourteen special classes attached to mainstream schools to support students with a specific learning disability such as severe dyslexia. I want to acknowledge the excellent work they do. It is important to note they were established at a time when there were much fewer additional supports in schools.
In pursuit of a more inclusive education system it is important, as far as possible to support students to attend their local mainstream schools. This means that children and young people can be educated with their peers and are not required to travel long distances to attend special schools or classes.
15,000 special education teachers have been provided to enable schools to achieve this objective. In practical terms this means schools get a substantial additional teaching allocation to support students with special education needs who are in mainstream classes.
The additional resources are intended to support students with the greatest level of need, including those with a specific learning disability such as dyslexia, dyscalculia or dysgraphia.
Of course, I recognise the importance of building the capacity of teachers in mainstream schools to meet the needs of all students. To support this, 338 places are funded each year for teachers to attend post-graduate special education needs programmes. The NCSE offers dedicated professional learning opportunities for teachers supporting students with additional needs. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) also provides professional learning opportunities that are available to all primary and post-primary school teachers on supporting children and young people with special educational needs.
Funding is also made available to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment to assist students. Schools can apply to the NCSE, through their local special educational needs organiser (SENO) for such support.
The need for any additional provision or resources for schools to support students with dyslexia is kept under constant review by the NCSE.
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.
718. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review correspondence from a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18963/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme for a project providing a three classroom Special Education Needs (SEN) base. The project is devolved to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board for delivery.
I can confirm that this project was approved by my Department to proceed to Stage 2b (planning) in Q1 2025 and submission of the post planning report is awaited. Once received, this report will undergo a comprehensive technical and cost review. All projects, including this one, are subject to the full due-diligence requirements set out in my Department’s Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
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.
The department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, 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 5 projects in County Limerick.
These projects are in addition to €296.45 million in capital funding for Limerick schools between 2020 and 2025. Over that period, a total of 53 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 4 school projects in Limerick 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.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
719. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the proposed building extension for a school (details supplied). [18994/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter my Department's pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The project will provide one mainstream classroom, two Special Education Tuition (SET) rooms, and a two class Special Education Needs (SEN) base. This project was devolved to the school authority for delivery.
The project was granted approval to move to Stage 2a (developed design) in September 2025. My Department now await submission of the Stage 2a Report by the school authority. Once submitted this report will undergo an intensive review from both a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, are subjected to the required due diligence as specified in the Department's infrastructure guidelines
As the Deputy will be aware, the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030 has recently been published. 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, also published is 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. Also, this summer, 35 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Summer Works Scheme/Climate Action Scheme.
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.
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 my Department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
720. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 559 of 24 February 2026, if she will review the correspondence (details supplied); if she will answer the questions raised therein; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19033/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince our previous correspondence on this matter, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has sanctioned further new special classes. This brings the total number of new special classes sanctioned to establish in mainstream schools for the next school year to 387, with more planned in the coming weeks. These new special class sanctions mean that there will be over 4,000 special classes operating in mainstream schools across the country in the next school year, up from 1,836 in 2020.
To ensure that new special classes can open as quickly as possible, the NCSE is prioritising engagement with medium and larger primary schools and post-primary schools that do not already have a special class and that have available accommodation to support new provision.
This approach maximises the use of existing space that can be efficiently reconfigured, while ensuring that additional provision continues to be established. It also increases the number of schools offering special classes, providing parents with greater choice and helping to reduce the distances some students must travel to access a special class placement.
The majority of the 387 new classes sanctioned are being established through the reconfiguration of available classroom space in schools.
This approach and other key measures to support the forward planning for special education provision for the 2026/27 school year is clearly outlined in the Department’s Circular Letter 0039/2025 which issued to all schools last May, and which followed significant engagement by the Department and the NCSE with school patron bodies and school management bodies in relation to the forward planning for new special classes.
The department and the NCSE want to reassure families that they will be supported in seeking a placement and that the NCSE remains available to provide advice and support to all families seeking specialist placement. It's important to note that the majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers, through the provision of resources such as Special Education Teachers and Special Needs Assistants. This is an estimated 25% of the total student population, or 240,000 children and young people with special educational needs, that are supported in mainstream classes.
This school year, over 21,500 students with more complex needs are enrolled in special classes in mainstream schools – up from 10,300 in 2020.
The department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan since 2020, involving the completion of almost 1,400 school building projects.
In addition, repurposing and optimisation of existing accommodation capacity across the school estate has been a key enabler of timely, local provision of special class capacity in a way that supports best practice in inclusion and integration. Potential repurposing options are school and site specific, presenting different opportunities and challenges. To support the delivery of special classes in good time, a new streamlined approach to funding was made available to repurpose existing accommodation for SEN in 2025.
The department and NCSE continue to work closely to ensure we meet the increase in demand, including provision of appropriate resources. Schools seeking to establish new special classes should continue to engage with the NCSE at local level. The department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all students are successful in accessing an education.
721. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a schedule on a county-by-county and school-by-school basis in respect of the number of modular classrooms in use; the annual rental cost of same; the duration of which they are of use including year of installation. [19035/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraTemporary accommodation in schools may be rented or purchased and funded by my department or by the school authority itself, with or without department sanction. For that reason it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a complete picture in respect of all modular classrooms at schools as requested.
As the Deputy will appreciate, within the context of a rapidly increasing school population my department's priority is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place. In this regard, it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
The timing and duration of the accommodation need is also considered in determining the optimum accommodation solution – a short-term accommodation requirement does not require a long-term accommodation solution. For example, a school may require a temporary building in circumstances where a major school construction project is planned. Such temporary accommodation is removed when the major project concerned is completed. The length of time it is necessary to make use of temporary rented accommodation will vary from project to project.
Many schools based in rented buildings and on rented sites are already part of the pipeline of projects under the school building programme and their longer-term accommodation will be addressed as part of these projects. Maximising the opportunities to achieve value for money involves matching, as best as possible, the accommodation requirement with the appropriate accommodation solution. This is relevant for all accommodation projects progressed by my department.
The changing landscape in relation to enrolments means that accommodation requirements can vary locally and regionally and between short, medium and long-term and this is a relevant factor considered by my department in determining the type of accommodation solution to be put in place.
I can confirm that currently there are 653 ongoing modular rentals contracts over 411 primary and post primary schools. This is currently providing 1,493 rooms for Mainstream, Special education tuition and Special education classrooms. A county by county breakdown is attached.
The Modular Accommodation Framework is a key part of the Department’s strategy for the provision of good quality functional accommodation to meet the permanent accommodation requirements for prioritised individual schools.
Modular accommodation is a feature of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) which describes a range of manufacturing and innovative alternatives to traditional construction. There are many benefits of adopting MMC in the school sector ranging from faster delivery of construction projects to minimising disruption in live school environments. My department has recently established a new Modular Framework of suppliers with new design guidance which provides high quality school accommodation and increased sustainability to improve the energy performance of school accommodation, resulting in improved comfort, lower energy bills and reduced carbon emissions. Framework suppliers use factory controlled precision through digitalisation and strict quality control processes to create consistent quality construction.
This new modular framework with new design guidance requires the building system to have a design life of 60 years. The factory precision of MMC contributes to the ability of this form of construction to deliver consistently robust buildings which are easy to manage and maintain, providing high quality learning spaces for the students of today and the future.
722. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a schedule on a county-by-county and school-by-school basis in respect of the number of modular classrooms in use that are now end of life as per manufacturers guidelines and still in use; and the number that have been decommissioned. [19036/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of its forward planning, my Department is currently conducting an integrated energy and condition profile for 4,000 schools across the school estate. This will provide a nationwide and systematic approach for identifying and determining priorities for investment in the school estate to address decarbonisation, condition and maintenance requirements. Work on this survey is well advanced and it is envisaged that the survey and validation process will be completed by the end of 2026. In relation to the questions raised by the Deputy, it is envisaged that this survey when completed and validated, will provide standardised and evidence based data on the condition of the school estate.
It is important to note that my Department has a strong track record of delivery and there is very significant investment being made in schools throughout the country as part of the rollout of the National Development Plan. Since 2020, my department has invested €6.7billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 1,400 school building projects and over 4,000 smaller scale maintenance and improvement works.
The NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the 2026 to 2030 will involve an investment of €7.55 billion – circa. €5 billion of which will be to support project delivery and €2.25 billion to support the operation of the school estate in terms of maintenance and improvement works etc.
There are a range of schemes in place to support school authorities in terms of dealing with condition issues in their school buildings e.g. minor works grant scheme, climate action summer works scheme and emergency works scheme. There is also a very clear responsibility on individual school authorities to ensure that they operate a good maintenance regime and my Department provides good guidance on same as well as funding and technical support via its various schemes.
It is also important to note that the use of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) reflects the Government’s broader commitment to developing modern, sustainable infrastructure. MMC enhances the productivity, efficiency, and environmental sustainability of school accommodation delivery. The Modular Accommodation Framework is a key part of the Department’s strategy for the provision of good quality functional accommodation to meet the permanent accommodation requirements for prioritised individual schools. Offsite construction minimises disruption in live school environments, while factory precision and strict quality control deliver robust, low-maintenance buildings. Today’s modular buildings represent a major advancement from earlier prefabricated forms and, since December 2018, all new builds — including modular — must meet the Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB) standard, ensuring high energy efficiency and sustainability.
As part of NDP rollout, it is envisaged that there will be continued strong rollout of the Modular Accommodation Programme to meet additional permanent accommodation requirements that are deemed urgent and necessary by the Department and that cannot be met from within existing school capacity. While the intended lifespan of individual units may currently vary, modular units provided from the Department’s framework have a design life of 60 years.
723. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a comprehensive list of all schools in Wicklow that are either currently undergoing renovations, awaiting extensions or awaiting new buildings; the stage of the approval process they are currently at; the status of the works in each school; when works are scheduled to be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19038/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
The department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027. This list includes 3 projects in County Wicklow. Additionally, 6 schools are approved to undergo works as part of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme this summer.
These projects are in addition to over €263 million in capital funding for County Wicklow schools since 2020. Over that period, a total of 44 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 8 school projects in County Wicklow under construction. In addition, since 2020 a total of 73 special classes have been opened in Wicklow, of which 10 were sanctioned for September 2026.
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 including those in County Wicklow. 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 current status of all projects, including those in County Wicklow, is set out under item number ten, at the following link www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/building-works-for-the-construction-extension-and-refurbishment-of-schools/#school-building-projects-large-scale-additional-accommodation-scheme-current-status-lists. This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
724. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in Wicklow have applied for additional special school classes or places; the total number requested by school; whether these applications have been successful or unsuccessful, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19039/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs.
The 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 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 in January of this year, which is several months earlier than last year. 351 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 351 new special classes, 237 are being established in primary schools and 114 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county so far. Further details on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
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.
