Cormac Devlin
Ceist:382. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47693/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpecial Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (382, 383)
Cormac Devlin
Ceist:383. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47694/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 382 and 383 together.
In August 2022 due to the rapidly increasing arrival of Ukrainian and IPAS pupils a scheme of additional temporary special education supports was put in place to support schools with large Ukrainian/IPAS enrolments.
From the outset, the allocation of supports is based on graduated thresholds of Ukrainian/IPAS enrolments, and this remains the case today.
Schools where 15 or more Ukrainian/IPAS pupils are enrolled are allocated for SNA resources) based on a sliding scale maximum of 3 SNAs on a temporary basis.
The graduated allocation is based on the following table
|
No. of Ukrainian students enrolled |
Additional No. SNAs allocated |
|
15-29 |
0.5 |
|
30-35 |
1 |
|
36-45 |
1.5 |
|
46-54 |
2 |
|
55-64 |
2.5 |
|
65 |
3 |
This temporary allocation is reviewed ahead of each school term based on the enrolment thresholds and schools are advised where their enrolments meet the threshold.
The allocation approval letter issued each term clearly outlines to all schools who are entitled to additional temporary SNA resources based on enrolments numbers that the allocation ceased on a specific date at the end of the term.
In addition, the letter sent to the school for the first term of the 2025/26 school year outlined the following
It is important to note that these hours are allocated on a temporary basis only and the school should not create any permanent role on the basis of these temporary hours.
The hours are effective from 1st of September 2025 to 19th December 2025.
THIS TEMPORARY RESOURCE CEASES ON THE 19/12/25. ONLY SCHOOLS THAT QUALIFY FOR TEMPORARY RESOURCES FOR THE NEXT TERM WILL RECEIVE A LETTER OF CONFIRMATION CIRCA 2 WEEKS PRIOR TO END OF THE PRESENT TERM.
Where a school enrolment reduces below 15 the allocation ceases on the date outlined in the letter 19/12/2025.
The allocations to all schools will be reviewed in September 2026 and in case where a schools Ukrainian/IPAS enrolments increase to a relevant threshold they will be allocated the applicable resource before the end of September from then to the end of the term (Christmas 2026)
Question No. 383 answered with Question No. 382.
Artificial Intelligence
Ceisteanna (384)
James Geoghegan
Ceist:384. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will list the members of the AI in Schools External Advisory Taskforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47714/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The first meeting of the AI in Education External Advisory Taskforce was held on 14th May and membership of the Taskforce has now been determined.
The taskforce prioritised representation from those bodies most directly connected to teaching, learning and assessment i.e. management bodies, teacher unions, SEC, Oide, NCCA, NCSE and relevant agencies.
The list of the names of the members of the Taskforce and their organisations will be available in the coming weeks on gov.ie and further information on the Terms of Reference and work programme of the taskforce will also be made available in due course.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (385)
Sean Fleming
Ceist:385. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeline for works to commence on a new school (details supplied); when the building works are expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47734/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to Laois Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB).
The brief for Dunamase College is to provide a new post primary school building to accommodate a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils and also a 6 classroom Special Education Needs base.
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 for the project was granted with Laois County Council in Q1 2026. The Department awaits submission of a Stage 2b report.
While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of this project, LOETB will continue to engage directly with the school authorities to keep them fully informed of progress on this important project.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6.9 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan, involving the completion of over 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. This investment has delivered real benefits for school communities.
A total capital allocation of €7.55 billion for the Department of Education and Youth has been confirmed 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.
As part of the NDP Implementation Plan for the education and youth sector, a first tranche of projects to progress to tender and/or construction during 2026 and 2027 was published in January 2026.
Prioritisation will continue to identify further tranches of projects to proceed to tender and construction over the NDP period, with stakeholder consultation to commence in June 2026.
Our 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.
School Admissions
Ceisteanna (386)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Ceist:386. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools, and their addresses which currently have enrolments in excess of 1000 pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47751/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
[Attachment omitted]
Schools Administration
Ceisteanna (387)
John Connolly
Ceist:387. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will publish the collective national results of the surveys undertaken specifically by the parents of pre-school age children who participated in the national primary-school survey on the issues of co-education/single gender preference, language of instruction preference and patronage/ethos preference; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47789/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
On 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 has obtained 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 co-education or single-sex school provision, patronage/ethos and language (education through Irish or through English).
On 4 June, my department issued primary schools with their school-specific results and explanatory information, marking the next stage in the process of engaging school communities on the future direction of their schools.
My department will publish all school-specific reports and the explanatory information pack for schools on the gov.ie website shortly. High-level survey results at a national level, including a county breakdown of the results, will also be published at that time. This includes the preferences of parents with children in primary school as well as the preferences of parents with children not yet in school.
Where the survey results show demand for change, Boards of Management have the opportunity to consider being included in the first group of schools to action the survey results, following a period of engagement and consultation with their school community, including their parents and Parent’s Association, Student Council, school staff and local community, including parents with children not yet in school. Schools are being asked to inform my department and their patron by 31 October 2026 if the school requests to be included in the first group of schools to action the survey results.
The survey results are intended to support meaningful local engagement and informed decision-making at school level. My department will continue to support and engage with schools as they consider their individual results and next steps.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (388)
Louis O'Hara
Ceist:388. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding a schools (details supplied) application to establish a special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47791/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
This government is fully committed to supporting students with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
My department and the National Council for Special Education (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.
In addition, I recently announced inclusive special classes as part of a new approach to supporting students with additional needs. This is one of many ways my department is actively engaging to meet the increased demand.
575 new special classes have been sanctioned to date, including 60 inclusive special classes. Further new special classes may 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 575 new special classes, 376 are being established in primary schools and 199 in post-primary schools. New special classes are being established in every county with 32 new special classes confirmed for Galway.
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.
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 achieve their full potential.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (389)
Eoin Ó Broin
Ceist:389. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth when sanction letters for home based summer provision will be issued; if consideration will be given to extending the window for hiring tutors given the short timeframes in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47830/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Details of the 2026 Summer Programme were communicated to all schools on the 6th May 2026.
All schools have been offered the opportunity to run a school-based programme for children with the most complex special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
Where a school does not intend to run a school-based programme or there is no place on the programme for an eligible child, schools were invited to make an application for the home-based programme.
On making an application for the home-based programme, both schools and parents received acknowledgement emails which outlined that decisions regarding a student's placement on the programme would be communicated after the school-based applications had been reviewed. In this respect, it can be confirmed that sanction letters for the home-based programme commenced issuing on the 18th June 2026.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (390)
Duncan Smith
Ceist:390. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth to urgently progress the construction of two special classrooms recently approved for a school (details supplied); to liaise with the school to ensure this project commences at the earliest possible opportunity and is operational for the next school year in September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47852/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The school to which the deputy refers to was granted capital funding for the provision of two Special Educational Needs Classrooms under my Department’s SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme.
The programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects.
Rogerson Reddan (RR) has been appointed from my Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project at the school in question. This is a collaborative process between the Project Manager, School Authority and the Department.
The project is due to start construction in the coming weeks, and the school can then be provided with accurate completion date by Rogerson Reddan.
My Department is fully aware of the urgency in respect of this accommodation and will be working closely with the Project Managers and School Authority to keep it updated on overall project delivery and timelines.