Written Answers Nos. 311-330
311. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the building project at a school (details supplied); the stage it is at within her Department’s planning and delivery process; the reasons for any delays in progressing the project; and the expected timeline for advancement to the next stage and delivery of the additional accommodation. [36422/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter my Departments pipeline under the Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide one mainstream classroom and a two classroom special educational needs (SEN) base. The project was devolved to the school for delivery.
This project is currently at Stage 1 (preliminary design). The stage 1 report has been submitted to my Department and this is currently under review from both a technical and cost perspective. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the public Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.
Although this project is not within the first tranche of school building projects recently published in the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan, it remains part of my Department’s overall pipeline of school building projects. The 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.
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.
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. It is not possible to provide indicative timelines for progression to subsequent stages, as the project remains under active review and will advance in line with the wider NDP programme implementation framework.
312. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current policy regarding assault leave for special needs assistants and teachers; whether her Department is satisfied that existing arrangements adequately support staff who are subject to workplace assaults; and if any review or changes to assault leave provisions are being considered. [36423/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Leave of Absence following Assault Scheme, as detailed in Circular letters 61/2017 for teachers and 62/2017 for SNAs, provides for special leave with pay (subject to specified limits) to a teacher/SNA who is unable to perform their duties due to a physical injury following an assault that happened in the course of their duties and during approved school activities.
Under section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012) the board of management is the employer of teachers, SNAs and other staff of the school. In the case of community national schools, the ETB is the employer and not the board of management.
The board’s role as an employer includes responsibility for the recruitment and dismissal of teachers, SNAs and other staff within the school, subject to relevant Department circulars, employment legislation and sectoral agreements. The role also includes but is not limited to, health and safety, building, promoting, and maintaining positive staff relations.
In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, it is the responsibility of individual school authorities to have a safety statement in place in its school and to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare at work of its employees and those who are in anyway affected by the work activities of the school.
The safety statement should identify potential hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and put appropriate provision in place to safeguard the safety and health of employees and pupils.
The body which has statutory responsibility for ensuring that health and safety requirements are met by all employers, including schools, is the Health and Safety Authority (HSA). Guidelines for managing safety, health and welfare at work were developed following consultation with relevant stakeholders.
On December 12, 2024, my Department published the "Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations Guidelines for Schools in Supporting Students " guidelines. (www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/circulars/understanding-behaviours-of-concern-and-responding-to-crisis-situations-guidelines-for-schools-in-supporting-students/)
My Department established a working group to develop these guidelines for schools on the prevention and management of behaviours of concern, where such behaviour poses imminent danger of serious physical harm to self or others within the school environment. The guidelines have been developed to address uncertainty for staff on how to respond when facing crisis situation where there are concerns regarding physical safety. They focus on creating inclusive environments which can respond to need and build on good practice including prevention and de-escalation.
The guidelines place a strong focus on prevention, early intervention and de-escalation strategies for the management of crisis situations in which physical intervention may be employed only as the last part of a comprehensive, positive, and planned behavioural approach by the school. The guidelines are written from a children’s rights perspective and are based on core values such as focusing on the child’s wellbeing, promoting respect, working together, creating a whole school approach, ensuring a safe environment, and following legal requirements.
My Department remains committed to supporting the whole school community and will continue to ensure that the appropriate supports and training are available.
My Department is committed to ongoing consultation and engagement with all stakeholders and advocacy groups to ensure that the guidelines support the most effective practices in schools. My Department is committed to monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the Guidelines in schools and to updating them as necessary on foot of the outcomes of the monitoring and review.
Teachers and SNAs also have access to the Employee Assistance Service, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. The Employee Assistance Service offers supportive services which may include short term counselling.
Please note, that amendments to public service pay and conditions, including pension arrangements, are determined through centralised engagement and collective bargaining between the Government and public service unions.
My Department will continue to engage with the Education Partners through the established Industrial Relations Fora in the Education Sector, through which any amendments to existing leave schemes, including the Leave of Absence Following Assault schemes, must be sought and agreed.
313. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will confirm that all sanctioned additional special needs assistant (SNA) posts are being filled in a timely manner, including those additional posts allocated as part of the SNA review and the reason a school (details supplied) has not yet been able to recruit to an allocated SNA post. [36424/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
Special education funding will exceed €3 billion in 2026 – up 58% since 2020 and the highest amount ever provided.
The number of special needs assistants (SNAs) allocated to schools nationally has increased by 45% between the 2020/21 school year and the present. By the end of the 2026/27 school year there will be close to 25,000 SNAs in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.
SNAs play a key role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
It has now been agreed that there will be no reductions to special needs assistants for the next school year 2026/27.
All schools reviewed by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and allocated additional resources will receive them in the upcoming school year.
It was agreed that the SNA redeployment scheme, the SNA workforce development plan and changes to a 2014 circular outlining the role of a SNA will be advanced before any further decisions are taken.
The priority will be to ensure that the child-centred approach to the provision of special education is retained and enhanced in these policy developments.
After these key documents are agreed and published, the NCSE can commence reviews of supports provided to schools for the 2027/28 academic year which will uphold the integrity of the process, which allocates supports based on the needs of children.
It is important to remember that when the NCSE allocates a SNA post, the board of management as the employer, is responsible for filling the vacancy.
The department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
314. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for the delay in the payment of local bargaining monies agreed under the most recent public service pay agreement, which were due to be paid in September 2025; the revised timeline for payment of these monies to teachers; and the steps being taken to ensure prompt disbursement of the agreed funds. [36425/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the local bargaining provision for Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026, employers and trade unions/associations may negotiate additional changes in rates of pay and/or conditions of employment. In this regard, my Department has engaged with the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the relevant Unions in the Education Sector to finalise the bargaining units for the Education Sector and the quantum of funding available for each unit.
My officials continue to work intensively with the Teacher Union’s senior leadership teams on progressing the local bargaining claims submitted by them under the Public Service Pay Agreement.
As such matters under industrial relations processes are confidential to the parties it would not be appropriate to comment any further at this time.
315. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) was not included in the most recent allocation of DEIS Plus status; the criteria applied in assessing the school’s eligibility; and whether the decision will be reviewed. [36426/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority the Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government. The new DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year, launched as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS. DEIS Plus is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based supports to a cohort of 121 schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage, identified through a refined data-based model that draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.
This approach ensures that additional resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact, and forms a core element of the wider €48 million full-year investment across both the DEIS Strategy and the DEIS Plus scheme. Approximately 30,000 children and young people attending DEIS Plus schools will benefit from these targeted supports.
The DEIS Plus scheme aims to address persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. Therefore, for the purposes of identifying schools for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme, only Urban Band 1 schools already in the DEIS programme were considered. Further information on the identification process can be found at gov.ie/deis.
317. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to set out the criteria by which DEIS Plus status was awarded in the most recent announcement; the methodology used to identify schools for inclusion; and if she will provide a breakdown of schools considered but not selected. [36428/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra319. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether an appeals process exists for schools that were not included in the most recent allocation of DEIS Plus status; the details of that appeals process; the criteria applied in reviewing appeals; and the timeline within which schools can expect a determination. [36430/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 319 together.
Addressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority the Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government. The new DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year, launched as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS. DEIS Plus is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based supports to a cohort of 121 schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage, identified through a refined data-based model that draws on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.
This approach ensures that additional resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact, and forms a core element of the wider €48 million full-year investment across both the DEIS Strategy and the DEIS Plus scheme. Approximately 30,000 children and young people attending DEIS Plus schools will benefit from these targeted supports.
Schools in the DEIS Plus scheme will receive strengthened, research-informed supports across wellbeing, attendance, engagement, guidance, leadership capacity, community partnerships and access to services, including the introduction of a new positive mental health and wellbeing initiative to support a whole-school approach to student wellbeing. This targeted enhancement of supports will not result in any dilution of resources for schools that do not meet the criteria for inclusion in the scheme.
Schools have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme using the DEIS Plus identification model, an objective and data-based approach using nationally available indicators applied consistently across all schools. The identification model is underpinned by a range of administrative data on every child and young person enrolled in primary and post-primary school. This data includes:
• The Pobal HP Deprivation Index for the small area in which the child or young person lives, obtained through the child’s or young person’s address data provided by their school on the DEY Primary Online Database (POD) or the Post-Primary Online Database (PPOD).
• The child’s or young person’s ethnicity if provided by their school on POD or PPOD.
• If the child’s or young person’s address on POD or PPOD matches an address of State-funded homeless accommodation.
• If the child’s or young person’s address on POD or PPOD matches an address of an International Protection Accommodation Centre (IPAS) or Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre (EROC).
The DEIS Plus identification model includes the addition of a DEIS Plus index. The DEIS Plus index was developed by the department’s statistics unit to support the identification of schools for DEIS Plus. The DEIS Plus index uses the same factors as the Pobal HP Deprivation Index but places greater weight on lone parenthood and unemployment, which have been widely identified as key factors in persistent and intergenerational disadvantage.
Children and young people from ‘very disadvantaged’ or ‘extremely disadvantaged areas’ (HP score -20 under either Pobal HP Deprivation Index or the DEIS Plus index), residing in State-funded emergency accommodation, residing in IPAS or EROC accommodation or identifying as Traveller or Roma are designated priority cohorts within the model. Further information on the identification process is available on gov.ie/deis.
Following an assessment of the past three years’ data, only those schools identified as having the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage have been included in the scheme. If a school has not been identified for inclusion, this does not imply there is no disadvantage in the school community. While many schools experience significant need, not all will meet the statistical threshold for inclusion at this stage. Schools will continue to be supported through the range of additional resources provided through the DEIS programme.
The department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme. Schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS Plus identification model to their school enrolment data have the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. The appeal process is now open until 25 May. Schools have the opportunity to update their school enrolment data for the years 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 on POD and PPOD, where they identify that the information already provided is not an accurate reflection of their school enrolment for those years. Schools may also request that the application of the model to their existing data is reviewed.
Information on the appeal process can be found at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/circulars/deis-plus-scheme-appeal-process/.
318. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide details of the allocation of Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) coordinators announced alongside recent DEIS Plus designations; the basis on which these allocations were determined; and the number of HSCL posts allocated to each school under this announcement. [36429/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra320. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether an appeals mechanism is in place for schools that were not allocated a Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) coordinator in the most recent announcement; the procedures and criteria governing such appeals; and if she will outline how schools can seek a review of decisions. [36431/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 320 together.
Addressing educational disadvantage in all schools is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. I was pleased to recently announce a pilot project to extend Home-School-Community-Liaison (HSCL) provision to 130 schools that are in the DEIS Rural band and outside the DEIS programme. This is an important opportunity to trial the extension of an important resource to additional schools and inform the future policy for the scheme.
The HSCL scheme is a core element of the DEIS programme and of the wider Tusla Education Support Service (TESS). HSCL coordinators are teachers assigned for a maximum of five years to work directly with parents, guardians, school staff and community services to strengthen engagement between home, school and the community. The overarching aim of HSCL is to improve attendance, participation and retention, particularly for children and young experiencing educational disadvantage.
Schools in the DEIS Urban and DEIS Post-primary bands are currently included in the HSCL scheme. However, I am aware that there are children and young people at risk of education disadvantage enrolled in Rural DEIS schools and schools not currently in the DEIS programme. The OECD’s Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland found that schools not in the DEIS programme, in particular, may not have the capacity to engage effectively with families of children at risk of educational disadvantage and recommended the extension of partial DEIS supports to schools that are not in the programme. The Programme for Government also commits to expanding HSCL to schools demonstrating high need.
Schools included in the HSCL pilot project at this time are:
• DEIS Rural primary schools and urban primary schools not included in the DEIS programme that have the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage
• DEIS Rural primary schools and primary schools not included in the DEIS programme that have the highest proportions of children and young people from other countries and cultures
• Post-primary schools not included in the DEIS programme that have the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage and those with the highest proportions of children and young people from other countries and cultures
Other factors including operational clustering feasibility and regional capacity requirements were considered to ensure that the pilot project could be implemented at this time.
This pilot is provided in addition to the range of universal supports available to all schools to support children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. These include:
• National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological service to all primary and post-primary schools and special schools to support the well-being, academic, social and emotional development of all learners.
• The Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation provides a unified allocation for special education support teaching needs to each school based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses an element of English as an additional language (EAL) support allocation. Under this SET model, schools are frontloaded with resources to provide support immediately to those pupils who need it without delay.
• Free schoolbooks are provided to all children and young people in the free education system.
• Inspectorate support helps improve education provision for all children and young people. They promote best practice and school improvement by advising teachers, principals and boards of management in schools.
The pilot project to extend HSCL provision to a selection of DEIS Rural schools and schools outside of the DEIS programme will be monitored and evaluated to inform future planning. There is no appeal process in respect of this pilot initiative. Any future allocation of resources, including any potential further extension of the pilot, will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and in the context of available resources.
321. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm when the next tranche of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme will open for applications; to outline the eligibility criteria for schools applying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36442/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis that, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The CASWS operates on a multi-annual basis across a number of categories of works, the current Summer works was opened for applications in 2025 and prior to that the last Summer works scheme was announced in 2019.
It is envisaged that approvals in any given year will involve a spread of categories rather than the traditional single category at a time. This is aimed at managing market capacity and maximising value for money opportunities for school authorities.
In November 2025, my colleague the former Minister of Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works.
Given that funding is limited in any particular year it is necessary to prioritise applications. Under the new climate action summer works scheme which operates on a multi annual basis, like previous summer works schemes, applications from schools that are not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.
It is anticipated that the next tranche of approvals will be in the latter half of 2026.
Full details of the of the announcement and the list of schools approved in the first tranche, the Circular (0029/2025) for the scheme and guidance documents for schools can be found at the below link; www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/.
322. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she can give clarity around the rules and regulations of flying of flags/bunting in schools; and if she can outline what flags and on what occasions this is allowed. [36446/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Education Act 1998 in Ireland, the Board of Management of a school is primarily responsible for the management of the school on behalf of the patron and for the benefit of the students. The school principal, under the direction of the Board, is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school. Therefore, it is a matter for each school to decide on how best to serve the school community, including to choose to carry out activities relating to flying flags/bunting.
Schools have autonomy in choosing the resources and programmes that best support their work within their own school and their broader school community. There are a number of programmes available to schools to enrich or accompany the curriculum, and some of these programmes include flags as symbols of participation or achievement. It is a matter for individual schools to participate in such programmes and fly these flags if they wish.
323. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No.513 of 4 February 2026, if she will supply an update on the initial high-level summary results focusing on response rates for school-level data; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36469/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 4 November 2025, my department published a 'Framework and action plan for delivery of increased choice for parents on education provision at primary level'. The main focus of this framework and action plan was an online, school-specific survey. The survey ran from 4 November to 16 December 2025.
Through the survey, my department is obtaining clear information on the preferences of parents and guardians about the primary schools which their children currently attend, or will attend in coming years, on a number of important areas of primary school provision, including patronage/ethos, co-education or single-sex school provision and language of instruction (English or Irish).
The results of the survey will help my department to plan how education at primary level is provided.
I recently announced the high-level national and county summary results in respect of the preferences of parents with children currently in primary school.
My department is continuing its detailed analysis of the survey data and is preparing finalised school-specific reports. These school reports will also include the preferences of parents and guardians of children who are not yet in primary school and will be issued to all primary schools soon. This is in line with the commitment for school-level data to be provided in Q2 2026.
324. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the climate action summer works scheme will open for applications again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36479/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the Climate Action Summer Works Scheme (CASWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis that, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The CASWS operates on a multi-annual basis across a number of categories of works, the current Summer works was opened for applications in 2025 and prior to that the last Summer works scheme was announced in 2019.
It is envisaged that approvals in any given year will involve a spread of categories rather than the traditional single category at a time. This is aimed at managing market capacity and maximising value for money opportunities for school authorities.
In November 2025, my colleague the former Minister of Education and Youth, Helen McEntee TD, announced the first tranche of approvals under the new Climate Action Summer Works Scheme. 297 projects were approved to proceed and involve primary, post primary and special schools, along with projects in all counties and across all categories of works.
Given that funding is limited in any particular year it is necessary to prioritise applications. Under the new climate action summer works scheme which operates on a multi annual basis, like previous summer works schemes, applications from schools that are not reached for funding or market prioritisation reasons in 2026 will qualify to be assessed for purposes of the funding available for climate action summer works in subsequent years.
It is anticipated that the next tranche of approvals will be in the latter half of 2026.
Full details of the of the announcement and the list of schools approved in the first tranche, the Circular (0029/2025) for the scheme and guidance documents for schools can be found at the below link; www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/services/summer-works-scheme/.
325. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a breakdown of spending on advertising which was funded or overseen by her Department, and bodies under its aegis, in each of the past five, including a breakdown by medium that is radio, television, social media, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36487/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department in the format requested. Officials in my Department will collate this information and I will arrange to have it forwarded to the Deputy directly.
For the Deputy’s information a similar response was provided in January 2026 Departmental Advertising – Tuesday, 13 Jan 2026 – Parliamentary Questions (34th Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas (www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2026-01-13/1175/) and in July 2025: Departmental Advertising – Tuesday, 8 Jul 2025 – Parliamentary Questions (34th Dáil) – Houses of the Oireachtas (www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/question/2025-07-08/374/)
The information in respect of aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Officials in my department will endeavour to get this information but contact details for these bodies are set out below should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.
|
Body |
Oireachtas Email |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) |
oireachtas@cogg.ie |
|
Educational Research Centre (ERC) |
oireachtas.queries@erc.ie |
|
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) |
oireachtasqueries@ncca.ie |
|
State Examinations Commission (SEC) |
Oireachtas@examinations.ie |
|
Teaching Council |
Oireachtas@teachingcouncil.ie |
|
National Council for Special Education (NCSE) |
oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie |
326. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she aware that the ongoing crisis relating to defective concrete blocks continues to have a profound impact on students and staff across Donegal ETB schools;if she will request her Department to accede to the request from Donegal ETB for an additional guidance counsellor allocation for a defined period; expansion of the home school community liaison (HSCL) provision; enhanced financial supports for school uniforms and student participation; increased access to after-school study and meals provision; additional supports for extracurricular and out-of-school activities; expanded access to National Educational Psychological Service; strengthened School Completion Programme supports; enhanced staff well-being and counselling supports; and additional supports for school leadership teams managing these challenges. [36501/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has engaged in recent years with Donegal ETB in relation to its ongoing work to ensure appropriate supports are provided to staff and students who are impacted by the MICA issue in the county.
My Department has in place a wide range of supports, which can be used by the ETB to assist it in supporting students and staff. Meetings have been held with the ETB to outline these various supports and resources; and how they may be accessed and best utilised to help address the needs of students and staff concerned.
Follow-on information and updates on the key supports available have also been provided to the ETB and my Department will continue to liaise with the ETB as needed in this regard.
327. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the major extension project at a school (details supplied); and her Department’s response to the proposal from Donegal ETB to construct a new school building on an adjacent site. [36502/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to Donegal Education and Training Board (DETB) for delivery.
The project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural design process. This allows for detailed design and planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents.
Planning permission was granted in 2024 subject to certain conditions being addressed. The ETB and Department are currently engaging to identify the most appropriate solution for this important school building project having regard to the best use of the available site and the long-term accommodation needs.
DETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
328. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the plans for the future development of a school (details supplied). [36503/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter my Department's pipeline of projects under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme. The project will provide eight general classrooms, seven special education tuition (SET) rooms, a two classroom special education needs (SEN) base, two science labs and prep areas, one graphics room, one art room and project store, one music room, and one multimedia room. The project was devolved for delivery to Donegal Education and Training Board (DETB).
This project is currently at Stage 1 (Preliminary Design). The Stage 1 report has been submitted to my Department and is under review from both a technical and cost perspective. More recently, as part of this review process, a roof inspection was undertaken by department officials and the findings are currently being compiled for submission to the school.
All projects, including this one, are subject to the necessary due diligence as set out in the Public Infrastructure Guidelines. Careful management of timing, scope and cost is essential to ensure delivery within the overall budgetary parameters of the programme
Although this project is not within the first tranche of school building projects recently published in the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan, it remains part of my Department’s overall pipeline of school building projects. The 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.
As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, the Department led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027 to assess and evaluate the progression of individual projects through the design pipeline having regard to the continual need to maximise existing capacity and determine the prioritised needs going forward. This process will involve engagement with key stakeholders and individual schools and will ultimately inform the next tranches of programme rollout to tender. The Department-led Energy and Condition Survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities.
Based on this ongoing prioritisation process some projects may be added to the list over the course of 2026 and 2027 having regard to their prioritisation and urgency of need and taking account also of the ongoing ability to progress them to tender and construction within the parameters of overall funding. Where appropriate, my Department will also assess opportunities to undertake advance enabling works for the most urgent and complex projects to facilitate a smooth progression to construction in 2028 and beyond.
Any interim accommodation requirements will continue to be assessed and considered by my Department on a case-by-case basis to determine the prioritised needs and approach for addressing same.
The accommodation needs at this school will be considered as part of the ongoing overall department led prioritisation process, in consultation with the school’s patron and school authorities.
329. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the way in which her Department can assist Donegal ETB with the serious staffing challenges that they face and have conveyed to her Department. [36504/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe arrangements in relation to the allocation of teaching posts, and to the allocation of special needs assistants to all schools, including ETB schools, are set down in various circulars issued by my Department. In relation to such posts, schools and ETBs have autonomy in relation to the recruitment and replacement of staff within the agreed approved staffing allocation granted to the school in question and subject to relevant procedures and criteria set out in circulars from my Department.
My Department also provides each ETB with an administrative and maintenance staffing allocation and associated pay budget to support its individual ETB schools and head office. It is the responsibility of each ETB to recruit and manage staffing levels within this allocation, including the assignment of such staff to the different functional areas in the ETB in accordance with the needs and priorities of the organisation. In line with the position across the public sector generally, every ETB must also operate within overall approved staffing and pay budgets for its administrative and maintenance staff.
I can confirm over recent years that my Department has, as resources permitted, granted a additional administrative and maintenance posts to the ETB sector including to the ETB concerned.
My Department remains committed to supporting ETBs and will continue to work closely with individual ETBs, and with the sector collectively to ensure they are adequately resourced to deliver their important work.
330. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she or her predecessors received legal advice on the implications for her Department of the decision in a case (details supplied); the reasons, as examples, the school year, week and day have not been statutorily prescribed under section 25 of the Education Act 1998 and school curriculums have never been prescribed under section 30 of that Act; what she considers the status in law of an unprescribed school curriculum to be; the reason her statutory powers to make regulations on a range of issues concerning the provision of education by schools have been so rarely exercised; her views that continuing the alternative practice of ‘government by circular’, including on matters and at a level of detail that appears to exceed her stated statutory function, is consistent with the overall statutory framework; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36506/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt has been a long-standing practice of the Department to use circular letters as a means of communicating certain matters to schools. The practice of using such administrative circulars is familiar to schools, teachers, and other school staff and allows for an important level of flexibility and responsiveness.
Where appropriate, officials in my Department seek legal advice on specific issues arising in the course of their work. Legal advice obtained is subject to legal professional privilege and it would not be appropriate to comment further on such advice.
The Deputy should note that the question requires the Minister to provide an interpretation of the law regarding the use of circulars. Ministers are not required to provide a legal interpretation of any matter which would be a matter for the Courts.
