Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 April 2026
559. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures of outcome and impact her Department tracks to measure the achievements of the special education needs programmes; the way in which they have evolved since its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30098/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra563. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department collects evidence to shed light on the comparative effectiveness of different interventions within disadvantage or special needs programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30102/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 559 and 563 together.
Enabling students with special educational needs to receive an education that meets their needs is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of students with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where students with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which advocates that students will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that no matter where a child is enrolled they have access to the required supports to enable them to achieve their educational goals. At the heart of this are the special education teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) dedicated to ensuring each child is valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
Supporting this is the variety of differentiated teaching approaches encouraged by my department to accommodate the varying levels of ability in classrooms. This facilitates the inclusion of all learners to access the school curriculum in a meaningful way.
When allocating resources schools take into account the learning needs of students as evidenced by performance in schools but also supported where relevant by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a student may have. Specific interventions are therefore tailored, by the school, to the individual’s needs, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty, disability or condition.
It is important to recognise that teachers use a number of specialist programmes to support students with special educational needs. At all times, the focus of the department and the NCSE is on doing what is right for the child and underpinning any educational interventions with evidence-based approaches. For that reason, the department does not promote one particular approach for meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and recognises that children may benefit most where a range of teaching approaches is employed by the class teachers.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) supports schools in implementing the Continuum of Support framework with each school taking responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and supports for children and young people with special educational needs.
The NCSE also provides support for teachers with training needs in special education, through the NCSE support service which manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training needs. This support service provides Teacher Professional Learning (TPL) to teachers of students with a variety of special educational needs. The NCSE continues to update current TPL courses for teachers and designs new TPL courses in response to the needs of teachers.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
