Written Answers Nos. 745-765
745. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will seek clarification from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) as to why the proposed RACE accommodations for a student (details supplied) do not address their primary access needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19136/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation and delivery of the State examinations, and facilitates access to the examinations through its scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, otherwise known as the RACE scheme.
In view of this, I have asked the SEC to respond directly to the Deputy.
746. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department is engaging with the youth forum which will take place in the lead-up to Ireland's Presidency; if she can provide an update on how young people under the policy remit of her Department will be engaged with on this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19144/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU Youth Dialogue facilitates and empowers young people to influence decision making on a local, national, and European level. It is the central participation tool for young people in the EU who wish to input into the development of EU youth policy. In Ireland, the EU Youth Dialogue is implemented through the Young Voices programme, which is delivered by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in partnership with the National Working Group on EU Youth Dialogue. The Department has allocated grant funding to NYCI of €15,298 for 2026 in respect of the EU Youth Dialogue process.
A further significant element of the EU Youth Dialogue is the fostering of connections between young people and decision-makers, including through the selection of Irish youth delegates to participate in the EU Youth Conference. The EU Youth Conference is a key participatory event within the Dialogue that brings together youth representatives, policymakers, researchers, and civil society organisations to discuss priorities for youth policy across the EU. Ireland will host the youth conference in September 2026 during its holding of the presidency of the Council of the EU, and will lead the 12th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue alongside Lithuania and Greece.
The Youth Affairs unit in the department will be responsible for progressing key matters on EU youth policy during the presidency, including advancement of a revised EU Youth Strategy and consultation with youth delegates on key issues affecting young people in Europe.
747. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she can provide details on the youth forum which will take place in the lead-up to Ireland's Presidency; the position regarding the role her Department has in terms of the participation of children and young people; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19145/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe EU Youth Dialogue facilitates and empowers young people to influence decision making on a local, national, and European level. It is the central participation tool for young people in the EU who wish to input into the development of EU youth policy. In Ireland, the EU Youth Dialogue is implemented through the Young Voices programme, which is delivered by the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) in partnership with the National Working Group on EU Youth Dialogue. The Department has allocated grant funding to NYCI of €15,298 for 2026 in respect of the EU Youth Dialogue process.
A further significant element of the EU Youth Dialogue is the fostering of connections between young people and decision-makers, including through the selection of Irish youth delegates to participate in the EU Youth Conference. The EU Youth Conference is a key participatory event within the Dialogue that brings together youth representatives, policymakers, researchers, and civil society organisations to discuss priorities for youth policy across the EU. Ireland will host the youth conference in September 2026 during its holding of the presidency of the Council of the EU, and will lead the 12th cycle of the EU Youth Dialogue alongside Lithuania and Greece.
The Youth Affairs unit in the department will be responsible for progressing key matters on EU youth policy during the presidency, including advancement of a revised EU Youth Strategy and consultation with youth delegates on key issues affecting young people in Europe.
748. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the proposed new school building for a school (details supplied); the stage the project has reached within the Department's school building programme; the expected timeline for the project to proceed to tender and construction; and when she expects the new school building to be completed and operational. [19146/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra749. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline the steps being taken by her Department to expedite the delivery of a project (details supplied), given that the school is an area of very concentrated disadvantage and deprivation with a very high level of students with complex needs and currently operating across two separate campuses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19147/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra752. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the timeline for a project (details supplied). [19179/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 748, 749 and 752 together.
The Major building project referred to by the Deputy will deliver a 1,000 pupil Post Primary School and accommodation, including 6 classrooms for children with special educational needs at Le Fanu Road, Ballyfermot.
This project is currently planned to be delivered as part of Phase 2 of my Department's ADAPT 4 Programme - Programme Innovate.
This programme uses a professional external Programme Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Integrated Project Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning, to Tender and Construction.
This programme will be led by (IPT's) Integrated Project Teams consisting of highly skilled and experienced design professionals, architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors and various other consultants to deliver the projects.
The Project Manager was appointed in Q3 2023 and is in the process of preparing documentation for the tender process for the appointment of IPTs for the Phase 2 bundle of projects, which includes this project.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
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 my department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at 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.
My Department will continue to keep the school and it’s patron body updated as the project progresses.
750. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider visiting a school (details supplied), to meet with students, parents and staff and to observe firsthand the challenges associated with operating the school across two separate sites.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19148/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSt Seton's Secondary School, Le Fanu Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin 10 is an amalgamation of three secondary schools with DEIS status, Caritas College, St John's College De La Salle and St Dominic's College. At the request of the patrons, my department agreed to the amalgamation taking effect from September 2023 supported by approval for a large scale major project under my Department's ADAPT 4 programme.
The Major building project referred to by the Deputy will deliver a 1,000 pupil Post Primary School and accommodation, including 6 classrooms for children with special educational needs at Le Fanu Road, Ballyfermot.
This project is currently planned to be delivered as part of Phase 2 of my Department's ADAPT 4 Programme - Programme Innovate.
This programme uses a professional external Programme Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Integrated Project Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning, to Tender and Construction.
This programme will be led by (IPT's) Integrated Project Teams consisting of highly skilled and experienced design professionals, architects, engineers, project managers, quantity surveyors and various other consultants to deliver the projects.
The Project Manager was appointed in Q3 2023 and is in the process of preparing documentation for the tender process for the appointment of IPTs for the Phase 2 bundle of projects, which includes this project.
I met with the school principal and board of management representatives last week to discuss issues concerning the school.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently published the €7.55 billion NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for the Education and Youth Sectors for the period 2026 to 2030. This NDP Sectoral Plan involves a very strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. In this regard there will be a strong special education dimension to project rollout.
Of the total €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that circa. €5 billion will be used for project rollout to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the Large Scale, Additional Accommodation, Modular, and Annual September Accommodation Needs programmes. Over the course of 2026 and 2027 there will be construction work at circa. 10% of the school estate. These projects will, when completed, provide circa 57,000 additional and modernised school places with a strong SEN focus in all projects.
My department will continue to build on the progress made over recent years with the continued rollout of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, I have also published a list of the 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027.
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 my department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at 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.
My Department will continue to keep the school and it’s patron body updated as the project progresses.
751. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the Department the position regarding the timeline for a project (details supplied). [19179/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra753. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current accommodation capacity of a school (details supplied); the school’s current and projected enrolment figures; and the steps her Department are taking to ensure sufficient classroom accommodation is available. [19183/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that a building project for the school referred to by the Deputy provided a new 16 classroom primary school, including accommodation for children with special educational needs.
As of September 2025, the school in question had an enrolment of 340 pupils and 14 Mainstream teaching posts.
My department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. There are 17 primary schools in the Howth – Donaghamede, Dublin 13 school planning area. Projected enrolments in the Donaghmede Howth D13 School Planning Area have peaked and are expected to steadily decline out to 2032.
My department has a robust, evidence based, forward planning process for monitoring the current and projected future demographic demand for school places. This forward planning process analyses the demand for school places at School Planning Area level and also at a more granular settlement level to allow the department to respond to local demands.
The data used to inform the demographic demand analysis includes enrolment data, child benefit data, census & CSO data and information of planned new residential developments. Enrolment and child benefit data is updated annually and geocoded to the 19 thousand small areas across the Country. This allows the department to analyse the population of school going children and the schools they attend at a granular level.
Considering the falling demographics at primary level in the School Planning Area in question, it is my department's view that the school in question has sufficient accommodation to meet their current and future needs.
754. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has carried out, or plans to carry out, an assessment of the accommodation needs of a school (details supplied); and if she will outline the outcome or expected timeline for such an assessment. [19184/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy, that my department has received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
The purpose of my department’s ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.
The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for the department and officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider School Planning Area for future years.
My department is guided by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in relation to the requirement for special classes in the first instance. If the NCSE sanction a special class at the school in question the school can submit this sanction letter to my officials and the school's application for accommodation will then be reviewed in the context of the department's NDP priorities, whereby projects will be rolled out on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities.
The application from the school in question will be kept under review in this context.
755. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding any applications for additional accommodation or capital works relating to a school (details supplied) are currently under consideration by her Department [19185/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my department has received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
The purpose of my department’s ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.
The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for the department and officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider School Planning Area for future years.
The department is guided by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in relation to the requirement for special classes in the first instance.
If the NCSE sanction an additional special class at the school in question, the school can submit this sanction letter to my officials and the school's application for accommodation will then be reviewed in the context of the department's NDP priorities, whereby projects will be rolled out on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities.
The application from the school in question will be kept under review in this context.
756. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the action that being taken to support schools in developing solutions to enhance student engagement while minimizing digital disruptions. [19186/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe area of well-being and the promotion of positive mental health is a priority for the Department of Education and Youth. This includes promoting emotional well-being and resilience and positive coping skills, which support children and young people to manage the complexities of modern life. The department’s approach to supporting well-being and mental health is set out in its Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice which can be found at the following link: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/govieassets/24725/07cc07626f6a426eb6eab4c523fb2ee2.pdf, and informs the department’s extensive and ongoing work in the area of student well-being. The departments approach is founded on research and best international practice of how schools can best support the well-being and mental health of children and young people.
A dedicated well-being page is available on gov.ie bringing together all the well-being supports and resources that have been developed by the Department and support services: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/campaigns/wellbeing-in-education/.
The Department’s Wellbeing Office has initiated a Policy and Implementation Plan Review to plan for the next school well-being strategy. A broader stakeholder engagement process will take place to consult on a successor Wellbeing in Education Policy and Implementation Plan which will inform the priorities when we produce an updated strategy incorporating the continued, adapted, or new areas of agreed focus in educational well-being. Department officials will advertise this review on gov.ie and are communicating with stakeholders to include them in the consultation process, that will lead to the new Wellbeing Policy and Implementation Plan going forward.
Against this backdrop, the Department also recognises the need to ensure that digital technologies used in schools support teaching and learning without becoming a source of unnecessary distraction. While bans and restrictions on personal mobile phones form part of this response, the broader policy focus also includes how schools can manage and use school-owned devices, in a structured and purposeful way so that they are used for classroom activities and educational benefit. This is reflected in the Department’s wider work on digital learning, guidance for schools, and ongoing consideration of how best to balance the opportunities presented by technology with the need to maintain focused and effective learning environments.
The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 sets out the Department of Education and Youth’s policy approach to embedding digital technology across the curriculum and in all aspects of teaching, learning and assessment in primary and second level schools. The Strategy was published in 2022, following an extensive consultation process involving schools, parents, learners, management bodies, and industry. Its vision is to empower schools to harness the opportunities of digital transformation and build digital competence in both teachers and learners. Key to this strategy is that all learners are given the opportunity to use digital technologies in their learning to reach their full potential and provide them with the necessary digital skills needed for an increasingly digital world.
The use of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment is a dynamic and progressive area, with ongoing innovation and the potentially disruptive impact of emerging technologies, requiring flexible and innovative policy responses. Effective integration involves clear policies, teacher training, and collaboration among educators, policymakers, and parents to balance digital benefits with potential risks. To this end, in 2024, the Department commissioned the OECD to carry out a literature review and a peer learning event (PLE) on the Impact of Digital Technologies on Student Learning (https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/b6d2cf26/OECD_Education_Policy_Perspectives_125.pdf) as part of the OECD’s Resourcing School Education for the Digital Age Project. The literature review is a comprehensive piece of research work published under two companion Working Papers. It sets out the impact of various digital technology tools on education and presents key findings as well as strategies to support effective integration published in September 2025: https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/72dce7b5/OECD_Education_Working_Papers_No._335.pdf and https://assets.gov.ie/static/documents/429e3ad5/OECD_Education_Working_Papers_No._336.pdf. The OECD findings suggest that while digital devices offer valuable opportunities, they must be managed carefully to support learning and well-being. The findings from both the literature review and the PLE report are being examined by the relevant areas within the Department to inform future policy.
The Digital Learning Framework (DLF) provides schools and teachers with a structure to support them in embedding digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment and guidance in developing a Digital Learning Plan. Schools have flexibility to determine how best to embed the use of digital technologies in teaching and learning in their school, taking into account their individual circumstances and contexts. The DLF supports and complements the School Self Evaluation (SSE) process and will allow schools to evaluate their own progress and measure where they stand against benchmarks of effective and highly effective practices in the use of digital technologies in teaching and learning and leadership and management. The Digital Learning Framework promotes active learner participation and engagement in the learning process and supports collaboration between teachers.
The Department invests an average of €15m annually for the provision of broadband connectivity to schools. Under its Schools Broadband Access Programme (SBAP) at least 99% of recognized primary special schools and post-primary schools are included in this programme.
ASIERA (formerly HEAnet) provides high-speed internet connectivity and ICT shared services to all levels of the Irish education sector. ASIERA delivers and manages the Schools Network, through which they provide the actual network connection and includes content filtering and firewall security to schools on the network. The purpose of content filtering is to ensure that inappropriate websites and content are not accessible from within schools using the schools broadband provision broadband. Within the content filtering service provided, schools have the autonomy to choose between six different levels of content filtering so that they can choose a level that best meets their particular situation, age group of students etc. Content filtering systems classify websites into different ‘categories’, and these categories are used to control which category of website is allowed for schools on the different filtering levels. Level one is the most, while level six is the ‘widest’ level available as it allows access to websites such as youtube, personal blogging and social networking. It should be noted that all six levels block access to inappropriate material in categories such as pornography, violence etc.
Further details on the schools' broadband content filtering can be found at www.oidetechnologyineducation.ie/technology-infrastructure/schools-broadband-programme/.
Mindful of the distraction that can be caused by mobile phones, the Department, in June 2025, introduced a policy banning pupils from using or accessing personal mobile phones during the school day in primary schools. A policy was also introduced in June 2025 to restrict students’ access to personal mobile phones during the school day in post-primary schools. The purpose of the policy is to enhance the learning environment by reducing distractions, minimising cyberbullying and exposure to inappropriate content, and promoting traditional social interaction during school breaks. Guidance on the implementation of the policy issued to all schools and included provision for the application of exemptions for medical, well-being or specific practical reasons, or for reasons related to students’ special educational needs.
757. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the extension project at a school (details supplied) which is currently at Stage 2B; the cause of the continuing delay in progressing this project; if the project will be included in the next round of approvals for advancement; and the Department's plan to address the lack of any special class provision for girls in the Crosshaven area, particularly in light of confirmed need from the NCSE and the opening of multiple special classes in neighbouring schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19193/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Department's pipeline of projects under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The project will provide one mainstream classroom and a two class SEN base. The project is devolved to the school authority for delivery.
The Stage 2b (developed design) report was submitted to my Department in Q2 2025 and is currently undergoing 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.
As the Deputy will be aware, my 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.
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.
In regard to the special class provision for girls in the Crosshaven area, my Department continuously forward plans to provide additional special class and special school places for children with complex special educational needs.
Budget 2026 provides funding for over 400 new special classes and at least 400 new special school places for the 2026/2027 school year. This will see almost 3,000 new special education placements created for September 2026. This will be in addition to placements created due to the natural movement of students, such as those transitioning from Primary to Post Primary or those completing school.
The 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. To date, the NCSE has already sanctioned 351 new special classes for the next school year with more planned in the coming weeks. This is a number of months ahead of last year and should provide greater clarity for parents. These new special class sanctions – which include 3 new special classes in mainstream schools in the Crosshaven area, 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.
In order to ensure new special classes can open as quickly as possible the NCSE is prioritising working with medium and larger primary schools who do not already have a special class and have available accommodation to accommodate new special class. This approach maximises the use of existing space which can be reconfigured efficiently while also ensuring that new provision continues to be established. It also increases the number of schools with special classes providing parents with greater choice and reducing the distances that some students are travelling to access a special class place. The majority of the 351 new classes sanctioned are being provided in reconfigured 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 establishment of additional special education places involves a significant level of work in terms of reconfiguring existing classrooms, recruiting teachers and SNAs, running admission processes, accessing training and support and organising school transport. This new timeline was introduced after engagement with all of the key education stakeholders including bodies representing parents and special education advocacy groups.
This school year, over 21,000 children and young people with special educational needs are enrolled in special classes in mainstream schools – double the number enrolled in 2020.
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.
The department and NCSE continue to work closely to ensure we meet the increase in demand, including provision of appropriate resources.
758. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to address the capacity issue in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19235/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy, that the requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments, and residential development activity.
While my department is aware of enrolment pressures and demand for additional school places in some areas, including Malahide, 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.
The 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, including Malahide 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.
My department will continue to liaise with local authorities 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.
The school to which the deputy refers has capacity for in excess of 1,200 pupils currently, has a modular project for the provision of s special classes at construction and a further project for additional special education classes at design stage. Following consultation with patrons and management bodies, my department has recently published a document entitled, Guidance to Support the Optimisation of Accommodation Usage in Post Primary School which should be of further support to the school.
759. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the grant or allocation provided to schools (details supplied) for each substitute teacher cover has increased in each of the past 20 years; to provide a year-by-year breakdown of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19251/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra760. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount of funding currently allocated to post-primary school for the employment of substitute teachers (details supplied); the basis on which this allocation is calculated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19252/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra761. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the allocation for substitute teacher cover (details supplied) has remained unchanged over the past two decades despite increases in salary scales and cost-of-living pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19253/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra762. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the changes that have occurred in substitute teacher daily rates and salary scales over the past 20 years (details supplied); if she will provide a breakdown of these changes by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19254/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 759, 760, 761 and 762 together.
My Department meets the cost of salaries and allowances of teachers employed in primary, voluntary secondary, community and comprehensive schools, including the costs of substitute teacher cover.
There is no specific allocation to schools for substitute teacher pay. Substitute costs are met from the Department's overall budget provision.
Daily and hourly rates of substitute pay are increased in line with increases to teachers pay under wage agreements such as the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026.
Updated rates are outlined in my Department's circular letters on the pay increase applied from 1 February 2026, links to which are copied below:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/circulars/revision-of-primary-teacher-salaries-under-the-public-service-agreement-2024-2026-effective-from-01-february-2026/.
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/circulars/revision-of-post-primary-teacher-salaries-under-the-public-service-agreement-2024-2026-effective-from-01-february-2026/.
With effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme became compulsory for all post-primary teachers save for those who had availed of the opt-out arrangements prior to this date. In 2017 teachers who previously opted out from compulsory participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme under Circular 0006/2014 could opt back in to the scheme.
Under Circular 0033/2013 the allowance payable to teachers was discontinued and a gross additional payment would be included in the incremental scale for teachers in two moieties in the school years 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. For those who have opted out of S&S, a deduction is applied to their salary equivalent to €1,769/€1,592 (pre/post 2011 teachers) annually.
The current pay agreement, Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026, contains a local bargaining provision under which employers and trade unions/associations may negotiate additional changes in rates of pay and/or conditions of employment. Over the course of recent collective agreements, amendments have been agreed which have seen the value of certain allowances previously withdrawn being integrated into “new entrant” teacher pay. Examples are the equivalent of an honour’s primary degree allowance and the PME allowance.
Additional amendments to teacher Terms and Conditions, including pay and allowances, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the Public Service unions. As this is one of the matters that may come under consideration under the local bargaining provision of the PSA 2024-2026 and as such matters under industrial relations processes are confidential to the parties it would not be appropriate for the Minister to comment any further at this time.
763. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the status of funding for an autism class for a school (details supplied), when it is expected that this autism class will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19275/26]
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 and 38 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.
764. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on her Department’s engagement with a school (details supplied); the measures she is putting in place to boost enrolment numbers and to prevent the closure of this recently developed school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19286/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchools play a vital role in the social, economic and cultural life of communities, particularly in rural areas, and their sustainability is a key consideration in supporting balanced regional development and vibrant local communities.
The Government has significantly invested in our schools and teacher workforce with an increase of over 4,500 teachers in our primary schools in the last five years.
Through this investment, the general average of pupils to teachers in the Primary Staffing Schedule improved from 26:1 five years ago to 23:1 for the current school year; the lowest-ever ratio at primary level.
In Budget 2021, a three-point reduction in the retention schedule was introduced which helps to ensure better teacher retention in primary schools, while also ensuring that fewer pupils are required to retain or recruit a teacher. In the case of small schools, the schedule provides particularly favourable retention thresholds. For example, a small school may retain its second mainstream teaching post with as few as 11 pupils, its third post at 45 pupils, and its fourth post at 75 pupils. These arrangements are designed to support viable class structures and this process contains a mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board, including a specific measure aimed at small schools.
The Programme for Government commits to make further progress in this area.
However, enrolment in primary schools has been declining in recent years. The recently published enrolment figure for the 25/26 academic year is 6,759 or 1.25% lower than the previous year. This trend has been more acute in rural areas, resulting in declining enrolments in small rural schools. The primary staffing schedule plays a central role in supporting sustainability at school level by aligning staffing resources with enrolment patterns.
The decision-making authority for a school closure belongs to the Patron of a school. Any proposal to close a school must involve consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders, parents, teachers, students and local communities.
765. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of school building projects approved in every county, in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [19326/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra766. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total spend of her Department on new school buildings, renovations and extensions in each county, in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [19327/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 765 and 766 together.
I propose to take PQs 765 and 766 together.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6.7 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of almost 1,400 school building projects along with over 4,000 small-scale improvement works to meet priority maintenance needs and advance energy efficiency and climate goal. 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. Circa 80% of new special classes in 2025/26 are being facilitated in repurposed classroom accommodation.
In July the Government announced a capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth for the period 2026-2030 under the National Development Plan. As part of this NDP allocation my department will place a strong emphasis on provision for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on meeting annual school place needs. In relation to project rollout for Large-Scale projects and Additional School Accommodation scheme projects, the approach will be to continue to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate as much as possible in the first instance and provide necessary additional capacity through targeted and prioritised project rollout over the course of 2026 to 2030 period to meet the most urgent and prioritised needs.
The NDP Implementation Plan for the Education and Youth sector along with the first tranche of projects to progress to tender and/or construction during 2026 and 2027 was published in January 2026. This NDP Implementation Plan will optimise outputs from the NDP allocations, with a strong focus on maximising existing school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is insufficient, and ensuring delivery that is affordable, offers value for money, and meets functional needs.
