Written Answers Nos. 725-744
725. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a full breakdown by county, of the number of special school places that currently exist for the 2026/27 school year; the number of these places currently available for the 2026/27 school year; the way in which this compares to the number of applications for places by county; if every applicant will secure a place, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19040/26]
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. Further details on additional new special classes will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
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. With any date for applications for supports, it is important that those who come forward after that date are assured that they are not forgotten or excluded from the system.
I would like to stress that the NCSE will continue to support all children and young people made known to them after 1 October in their existing placement with appropriate supports. However, it is critical that the NCSE has as much local information as possible, as early as possible, to effectively plan what new provision is required.
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.
726. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 257 of 25 September 2025, whether the Department has completed its review of the requirement to establish a new school at a site (details supplied) following the granting of planning permission for a large residential development in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19042/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
My department engages regularly with South Dublin County Council regarding statutory plans matters. Through this engagement, my department has become aware that Variation 2 to the South Dublin County Development Plan contains a proposal to remove a school objective on lands at Stocking Avenue, Ballycullen, in order to enable the delivery of housing. My department has made a submission to this variation requesting that the Council re-instate the school objective to the said lands as currently exists in the County Development Plan.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be coeducational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
The department will continue to liaise with South Dublin County Council in respect of their county development plan and any associated local area plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.
727. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the planning that has taken place in her Department in relation to projected population growth in Malahide, Portmarnock and Kinsealy in County Dublin; the projected impact on primary and secondary school places within the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19054/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
My department produces demographic projections based primarily on child benefit data which is made available by the Department of Social Protection. Address details for all children aged 0-5 living in the state and in receipt of child benefit are used as the basis for the projections of future junior infant intake at primary level. This data is geocoded which provides the geographic view of future school place demand.
My department also conducts granular analysis below the level of a school planning area, particularly where a school planning area encompasses both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland.
The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority of the department.
The demographic analysis of the Malahide and Portmarnock School Planning Areas, including Kinsealy, indicates a declining demand for school places. The number of 5th and 6th class primary pupils living in the area is 9% lower than the number of pupils in 1st to 3rd year at post-primary level. Additionally, there are 6% fewer junior and senior infant pupils compared with 5th and 6th class pupils, and a further 10% fewer preschool children than junior and senior infant pupils.
This demographic demand is influenced by internal migration patterns, driven mainly by new residential development. Therefore, it is kept under review in conjunction with monitoring residential planning and construction activity.
The department is aware of localised enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, it is important to note that enrolment pressures can be driven by duplications of applications, applications from outside an area, and school of choice factors. Notwithstanding the above, in some areas, demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.
Therefore, data sharing arrangements that were in place for the 2025/26 admissions process have been put in place again for the 2026/27 admissions process in school planning areas that are experiencing enrolment pressures at primary and post-primary level. The admissions data provided by schools will allow the department to analyse duplicate applications.
There can often be significant overlap across areas and schools, and the nature of the admissions processes is quite complex. As a result, there can be multiple iterations, where applicants may accept a place but subsequently be offered and accept a place at a second school, freeing up capacity at the first school accepted.
Department officials have been in contact with primary schools in the Portmarnock school planning area and have collected admissions data for September 2026. The department will continue to liaise with schools in the area to ensure a solution that benefits all is put in place.
728. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide details of all schools that have received funding for a gym since 2020; the amount each school was granted, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19055/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra729. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide details of all schools that have received funding for a physical educational room since 2020; the amount each school was granted, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19056/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 728 and 729 together.
I can confirm to the Deputy that the provision of GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms, at primary and post primary level respectively, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings and are part of the overall School Building Programme. GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms form part of the overall construction cost of a project. Consequently, the data in respect of the individual costs of all GP/PE Halls and Sports Gyms is not readily available. The school accommodation projects already delivered and the current status of all ongoing projects by county is listed on the Department’s website and this is updated on a monthly basis as part of our overall communication.
I can confirm that almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to my department that they either have a PE Hall/Sports gym, access to a nearby PE Hall/Sports Gym, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall/sports gym.
Practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. My department provides professional and technical support and guidance documentation to design teams appointed to progress school capital projects including PE and GP halls. Approved projects are assisted with professional advice based on the published technical guidance available on gov.ie as they progress through the various stages of architectural design.
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. A key part of NDP rollout is the completion of circa 300 school building projects currently in construction. The majority of these projects are expected to be completed in 2026 and will deliver over 30,000 school places in total including 14 PE halls. Progress will continue to be made under the NDP Investment Plan on both new and modernised PE Hall and GP Room provision as part of the rollout of new schools and large-scale projects in the existing pipeline. Funding will be invested to support curricular delivery and well-being across schools which will prioritise the development of PE halls and sporting facilities (including yards and play areas) in conjunction with the Sports Capital Fund to deliver for both schools and communities. Additional initiatives to be rolled out over the course of the 2026 to 2030 NDP period include a PE Hall programme targeting post-primary schools that do not yet have dedicated PE Hall facilities, for delivery from 2029 onwards.
I can also confirm that my department's new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme provides a mechanism for school authorities to make small-scale improvements to school buildings and also schools' external areas such as outdoor play spaces. Schools can also use their minor works grant to upgrade outdoor play areas while repairs to existing areas may be considered under the department’s Emergency Works Scheme.
730. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria being used to select schools for funding of gyms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19057/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy, that investment and expenditure on sports facilities in both primary and post-primary schools is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme.
GP Rooms and PE Halls are included in the construction of all new primary and post-primary schools, respectively. Currently, approximately 90% of post-primary schools have indicated that they either have access to a PE Hall or have one on-site, with a further 5% having projects in the pipeline that will deliver such facilities. At primary level, around 70% of schools have reported having access to a GP Room, while an additional 2.5% have projects planned to provide one. These facilities play a vital role not only in supporting physical education but also in strengthening community infrastructure—particularly in developing areas where access to social amenities may be limited.
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. A key part of NDP rollout is the completion of circa 300 school building projects currently in construction. The majority of these projects are expected to be completed in 2026 and will deliver over 30,000 school places in total including 14 PE halls.
Progress will continue to be made under the NDP Investment Plan on both new and modernised PE Hall and GP Room provision as part of the rollout of new schools and large-scale projects in the existing pipeline. Funding will be invested to support curricular delivery and well-being across schools which will prioritise the development of PE halls and sporting facilities (including yards and play areas) in conjunction with the Sports Capital Fund to deliver for both schools and communities.
Additional initiatives to be rolled out over the course of the 2026 to 2030 NDP period include a PE Hall programme targeting post-primary schools that do not yet have dedicated PE Hall facilities, for delivery from 2029 onwards.
731. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria being used to select schools for funding of physical educational rooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19058/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy, that investment and expenditure on sports facilities in both primary and post-primary schools is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme.
GP Rooms and PE Halls are included in the construction of all new primary and post-primary schools, respectively. Currently, approximately 90% of post-primary schools have indicated that they either have access to a PE Hall or have one on-site, with a further 5% having projects in the pipeline that will deliver such facilities. At primary level, around 70% of schools have reported having access to a GP Room, while an additional 2.5% have projects planned to provide one. These facilities play a vital role not only in supporting physical education but also in strengthening community infrastructure—particularly in developing areas where access to social amenities may be limited.
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. A key part of NDP rollout is the completion of circa 300 school building projects currently in construction. The majority of these projects are expected to be completed in 2026 and will deliver over 30,000 school places in total including 14 PE halls.
Progress will continue to be made under the NDP Investment Plan on both new and modernised PE Hall and GP Room provision as part of the rollout of new schools and large-scale projects in the existing pipeline. Funding will be invested to support curricular delivery and well-being across schools which will prioritise the development of PE halls and sporting facilities (including yards and play areas) in conjunction with the Sports Capital Fund to deliver for both schools and communities.
Additional initiatives to be rolled out over the course of the 2026 to 2030 NDP period include a PE Hall programme targeting post-primary schools that do not yet have dedicated PE Hall facilities, for delivery from 2029 onwards.
732. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria being used to assess the Energy and Condition Survey and the weight that will be afforded to this survey when assessing the prioritisation of individual school projects to progress to tender over the course of 2026 and 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19059/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn preparing for the decarbonisation of the school estate my Department needed to establish a national energy profile of the school sector.
A pilot phase of the Schools Energy Inventory project was completed in December 2022 and included 601 schools across five Counties, Kildare, Meath, Offaly, Wexford and Wicklow. This pilot was funded by the European Investment Bank Advisory Hub programme.
Additional funding was subsequently secured in 2024 under the REPowerEU programme to complete this work for all remaining schools. This work is scheduled to be completed by end of 2026.
The data development involves energy assessors visiting the schools and gathering focused information on energy use, building types, age, and size along with an overview of general fabric and energy aspects of electrical and mechanical systems energy performance and energy consumption characteristics of each school.
Each school is surveyed by an experienced construction professional who gathers approximately 160 pieces of data, which includes high level building areas, different fabric elements and information about lighting, heating and domestic hot water etc. It also includes questions on building fabric condition.
The data is collected at school block level block being a stand-alone building or a part of the school building that was constructed at a different time from any other part of the building).
The condition of the building fabric is captured across 12 different elements again at school block level. This data is entered on a tablet computer onsite, it is then imported into the Department’s Geographical Information System (GIS) and processed into a relational database, which performs numerous calculations to determine a School Energy and Carbon Estimated Rating (SEACER).
My Department’s NDP Sectoral Investment Plan was published in January. As part of this, the Department also published a list of 105 school building projects which will proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
A Department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of the next phase of projects through the design pipeline. This will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools. The Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities once complete.
733. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if funding will be approved for an ASD class for a school (details supplied); and the reasons this school has not been approved to date. [19061/26]
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. 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.
734. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update in relation to the proposed new school building at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19063/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to the Laois Offaly Education Training Board (LOETB).
The project is currently at Stage 2a of the architectural design process. In Quarter 2 2025, a Stage 2a report was submitted to the Department and is undergoing an intensive review from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the Public Infrastructure Guidelines.
LOETB have proposed an option to acquire an alternative site for this project. This proposal has been reviewed by the Department and following further engagement, LOETB are now finalising cost comparisons on the two sites.
As the Deputy will be aware, the department 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, my Department has published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
These projects are in addition to €106.62 million in capital funding for Offaly schools since 2020. Over that period, a total of 30 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 Offaly 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.
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, 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 of the school referred to by the Deputy will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department-led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
735. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the emergency works scheme application from a school (details supplied); the full extent of the works to be undertaken; when she expects that works will progress to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19078/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school in question submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) for life safety systems works. The EWS operates on the basis of a minimal scope of works required to remedy an emergency situation and, on this basis, the school was advised to submit a revised scope of works with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown.
Once this has been received the EWS team will review the revised application and will engage further with the school as appropriate. The EWS team is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
736. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the emergency works scheme application from a school (details supplied); when she expects that works will progress to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19079/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies, or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for pupils with special needs. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.
An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening.
The EWS operates on a devolved basis and on the basis of a minimal scope works to address the emergency situation. The EWS is intended to remedy an emergency situation and usually provides only an interim measure until a permanent solution can be delivered under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) which deals with upgrade works to the school.
With regards the school in question, the most recent application for Mechanical and Electrical works, submitted 5 March 2026 was deemed invalid as the application did not meet the criteria of the EWS which is set out in Circular Letter 0068/2020.
The school in question is welcome to submit a new application ensuring all criteria is adhered to. The remaining live applications under the EWS, which includes an external environment project, are currently with the school to progress.
737. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding building works at a school (details supplied); when she expects that this will progress; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19080/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred by the Deputy has been approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school building projects, to provide two mainstream classrooms and ancillary accommodation under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.
A Stage 1/2a report was recently submitted and is currently being reviewed from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the public infrastructure guideline. All projects, including this one, 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 programme.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Department of Education & Youth 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.
The first tranche of 105 school building projects includes 80 large scale and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects. These projects were prioritised with a strong focus on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
Firstly, to facilitate the 45 projects that are currently already at tender stage (Stage 3) so that they can progress to construction as smoothly as possible over the course of 2026 and 2027. Secondly, to facilitate 35 projects that currently have planning permission and are at pre-tender stage (Stage 2b) and have been prioritised to meet urgent requirements from a special needs perspective or to provide additional capacity to cater for demographics or to address very significant condition issues at the schools.
The department recognises that there are schools with important building projects that are not included in the first tranche of prioritised projects.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, the department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by the department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at 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.
738. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is any difference between the exam papers for the Junior and Leaving certificate exams for students of gaelscoileanna and English speaking schools; if so, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19083/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, including the setting of examination papers for Junior and Leaving Certificate exams for students of gaelscoileanna and English speaking schools.
In view of this, I have asked the SEC to respond directly to the Deputy.
739. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider establishing a special secondary school in a location (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19095/26]
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.
There continues to be an increasing need to provide additional special school places to support students with complex needs. To meet this need, sixteen new special schools have been established in recent years, and capacity has been expanded in a number of others. Five of these were established for the 2025/26 school year in counties, Cork, Dublin (2), Monaghan and Tipperary.
The new special schools established over recent years have focused on providing additional places in our largest urban areas – Dublin and Cork. The department and NCSE have already begun planning in relation to further expanding special school capacity for the 2026/27 school year. It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required each year for the coming years.
When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible. Where this is not possible in a region, the department and NCSE will consider the need to establish a new special school.
In planning for increased special school places, my department and the NCSE review all of the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand.
Part of the forward planning process as to where new classes, schools or expansion is required looks at how far students are travelling to access an education that meets their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information the NCSE hold at local level on the number of children and young people seeking a special school place in a region.
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 in County Cork and indeed nationwide as to where new special schools are required.
740. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an application has been received by a school (details supplied) for a new autism special class; when a decision will be made in respect of this application; if she can ensure that this class is in place for the 2026/27 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19111/26]
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. 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.
741. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the second sanctioned ASD class for a school (details supplied), including a timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19117/26]
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 Additional School Accommodation (or 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 school in question has been sanctioned a special class by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and they have identified suitable accommodation within the existing school building to repurpose. My officials are engaging with the school authorities in relation to this matter and the application will be progressed as quickly as possible.
742. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the application for additional accommodation from a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19120/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential.
The application for additional accommodation at the school referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 2a - Developed Design.
The project brief is for a special educational suite with four classrooms and ancillary accommodation, as well as two general classrooms and a construction studies classroom.
The Stage 2a report is currently under review by my department, the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), and the Public Private Partnership Company (PPP Co).
743. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a timeline for the installation of urgent ramp accessibility works at a school (details supplied); and if her Department sanctioned the accessibility works at this school. [19127/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies, or to provide funding to facilitate inclusion and access for pupils with special needs. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation.
With regards the project in question, the Department has approved funding and this project is currently with the school to progress further, with the school being advised to provide a tender report on 3rd March 2026. Once this is received the EWS team will review and engage with the school as appropriate.
744. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount of money allocated to new build schools and new extensions to schools for art work in 2020 to 2025 and to date 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19135/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Per Cent for Art scheme is a government initiative, whereby 1% of the cost of any publicly funded capital, infrastructural and building development can be allocated to the commissioning of a work of art. Since 1997 this scheme has been made available to all capital projects across all government departments. The scheme allows people to enjoy and benefit from contemporary art and artists in everyday settings. The Per Cent for Arts Scheme is an important source of Government funding for the arts and enable artists to imagine and create new and ambitious work across all art forms and arts practice areas. Public Art commissioned through the Per Cent for Arts Scheme can be any art form and exist in many different contexts.
My department recognises the importance the opportunity the scheme provides for collaboration between an artist and a local school community. All schools with large scale or additional accommodation building projects are supplied with detailed information on the Per Cent for Art Scheme. Since 2020, in excess of €3.8 million has been provided by my department to school building projects under the Per Cent for Art Scheme. The table below sets out the expenditure per year since 2020.
|
Year |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
|
Amount (€m) |
0.7 |
0.63 |
0.55 |
0.68 |
0.69 |
0.52 |
0.06 |
The current status of all projects is set, out under item number ten, at the following link: www.gov.ie. This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
