Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 July 2026
97. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth the key measures taken to improve primary education since January 2025; her priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51941/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraEvery learner deserves the opportunity to thrive. Our focus is on high standards, inclusive practices, and strong supports to ensure no one is left behind. Breaking down barriers, whether social, economic, or educational is essential to helping all learners succeed. Education should open doors, build confidence, and prepare every learner for life. In terms of my priorities for primary education in Ireland, the programme for Government identifies a large number of commitments to be advanced by my department.
Addressing educational disadvantage in all schools is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth. The DEIS Strategy to 2035 sets out a long-term plan to address educational disadvantage in all schools and work to ensure that any child or young person experiencing educational disadvantage is supported through their education journey. The new DEIS Plus scheme, which will commence this year, launched as part of the strategy, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS.
My Department and the NCSE are working to confirm new special classes for the next school year, with new special classes being provided in every county. I also announced the establishment of four new special schools for the coming school year. These are vital steps in ensuring that children and young people with special educational needs have access to the specialist supports they need to thrive and to reach their full potential.
It is important that we progress inclusion and inclusive practices to the greatest extent possible. For that reason, I intend to establish a forum in the very near future comprising representatives of all the education stakeholders and advocacy groups. Its first task will be to develop a shared vision for inclusive education.
We live in a world which is changing rapidly, and we have recently published a redeveloped primary curriculum. Working in close partnership with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), Oide, National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and Post-Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), my Department brings a system-wide perspective and the capacity to enable supports that schools need for successful curriculum implementation. This collaborative approach guarantees a smooth transition from redevelopment to enactment and a curriculum that is achievable in every classroom for every child.
The supports for teachers and schools will continue to be rolled out in September 2026 and will be a key action in supporting the enactment of that redeveloped curriculum over the coming years.
I am also committed to supporting the teaching, learning and everyday use of Irish across our education system. Through our schools, we want every child to enjoy positive and rewarding experiences of learning Irish, to develop confidence and competence in using the language, and to have meaningful opportunities to speak Irish both within and beyond the classroom. By fostering positive attitudes towards Irish and supporting its authentic use, we can help ensure that Irish is experienced as a living, vibrant language by all learners.
I will be working to ensure the continuation of action in these and other areas of primary education to underpin the delivery of my vision of an education system which enables all children and young people in every community to be supported to fulfil their potential.
In terms of measures delivered since January 2025, I can advise the deputy that a significant amount has been delivered by my department, and I will outline some of the more significant measures.
Special Education
The Department of Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education have sanctioned almost 580 new special classes for the 2026/27 school year, including 68 inclusive special classes. This brings the total number of special classes sanctioned to date to over 4,300. Further new special classes may be confirmed in the coming weeks, if required.
The establishment of four new special schools for the upcoming school year 2026/2027 was also announced. These are a vital step in ensuring that children and young people with special educational needs have access to the specialist supports and environment they need to thrive and reach their full potential. The four new special schools will be established through the repurposing of existing school accommodation and are in Balbriggan and Citywest in Co. Dublin, Bray in Co. Wicklow, and Monasterevin in Co. Kildare.
The Government is committed to continuous improvement in the delivery of special classes and special school places as has been demonstrated over recent years. Circular 0063/2026 in relation to the Parents Notify process provides for an earlier date of 1 September by which the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will be made aware of students seeking a specialist placement for the 2026/2027 school year which in turn will support effective forward planning of provision.
I announced a €2 million investment to expand training and supports for schools responding to behaviours of concern, with a clear focus on improving outcomes and experiences for children. These supports will enhance schools’ capacity to support children in distress, prioritising early intervention, de-escalation and wellbeing, while ensuring staff are equipped to respond safely and appropriately.
In March 2025, my department published a new circular, “Review of Enrolment in a Special Class” was published to support schools with the review process for children and young people enrolled in a special class. Alongside this development, the criteria for enrolment in special classes for children with Developmental Language Disorder or Speech Sound Disorder was updated.
In May 2025, my department announced new measures to support forward planning for special education provision for the 2026/2027 school year and beyond.
On the 3 June 2026, my department published the first ever SNA Workforce Development Plan, a landmark in the roadmap for the development of special education. Built around five strategic pillars, the Plan recognises the vital contribution SNAs make to supporting children and young people with special educational needs to facilitate their attendance, participation and inclusion in school life. It sets out a clear framework to strengthen and support SNAs through enhanced professional development, greater role clarity, workforce sustainability measures and stronger collaboration across school communities.
Details of the 2026 Summer Programme were published on the 6th May 2026 and all schools have been offered the opportunity to run a school-based programme.
On 6 February 2026, together with the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, Michael Moynihan, I announced details of the first phased roll-out of the new Education Therapy Services (ETS). The ETS is a commitment under the Programme for Government and represents a major cross departmental initiative to strengthen supports for children with special educational needs. The new therapy service will be delivered by the National Council for Special Education.
In October 2025, as part of Budget 2026, a further special school package was announced to support increased investment in teacher professional learning in special education, additional funding for assistive technologies and enhanced capitation which will benefit, in particular, children in special schools.
In November my department published a circular to advise schools regarding the revised criteria to access support under the enhanced Irish Sign Language (ISL) Scheme.
In March 2025, I announced the move towards a mandatory two-week placement focused on special education for all Initial Teacher Education students.
The announcement advanced the Programme for Government 2025 – Securing Ireland’s Future commitment to make modules and placement experiences relating to special education a universal component of initial teacher education (ITE), subject to assessment. This builds on the strong emphasis on inclusive education that has been embedded within ITE since the introduction of the Céim Standards in 2020.
This immersive school placement period (ISELP) will assist student teachers to experience a whole school focus on supporting learners with diverse needs, particularly needs that are persistent, significant and enduring. This placement will ensure that student teachers at primary and post-primary level have the skills they need to support the diverse needs of all our students whilst while enhancing their confidence and preparedness for the transition into teaching.
To support the implementation of this initiative, the Teaching Council has developed and issued a Guidance Note for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), which will underpin the delivery of these placements for all student teachers from September 2026.
Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS)
I was pleased to recently announce the launch of a new DEIS Strategy to 2035, alongside the DEIS Plus scheme. This represents a comprehensive ten-year plan to address educational disadvantage and promote equity across all schools supported by a full-year investment of €48 million. Also published alongside the strategy and DEIS Plus scheme is the first three-year DEIS Implementation Plan 2026-2028.
The DEIS Strategy to 2035 sets out a whole-system, evidence-based approach to addressing educational disadvantage in all schools. This strategy recognises education as central to breaking cycles of disadvantage, expanding opportunity, and ensuring long-term security. It sets out a more flexible model of support, so that resources are aligned with each school’s level of need as it changes over time.
The strategy includes:
- Expansion of HSCL supports
- Strengthened wellbeing, inclusion and community partnership supports
- Additional community link workers
- Increased capitation funding and additional supports for teacher professional learning
- A robust monitoring and evaluation framework with annual reporting
My department is also developing a pilot with DEIS+ schools initially, on Whole School Guidance (WSG) in the Primary Sector which involves a phased action research project to support scoping, system learning and eventually national rollout of WSG in the primary sector.
The DEIS Plus scheme will provide enhanced, targeted supports to 121 schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. The new DEIS Plus scheme represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS.
My department allocates almost €200 million in 2026, rising to €230 million from 2027, to provide targeted supports for schools to address educational disadvantage. Budget 2026 allocated an additional €16.5 million in 2026, rising to €48 million in 2027, to support the implementation of a new DEIS Strategy and introduce the DEIS Plus scheme. This is the largest single investment in DEIS since the programme began. My department has doubled the allocation for the DEIS programme over the past 10 years.
School Completion Programme (SCP)
The School Completion Programme is delivered under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) programme and provides support to over 800 schools, arranged in clusters, referred to as SCP Projects. SCP is an integral part of the three-strand integrated service of the Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) alongside the statutory Education Welfare Service (EWS) and the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL). These services provide a robust continuum of support and intervention aimed to improve the education experience and outcomes for children and young people at risk of early school leaving and educational disadvantage.
A programme of work to advance the development and implementation of a new employment framework model for workers currently employed in the SCP is underway. This will ensure that the future employment and governance framework for the SCP is robust, sustainable and supports the further development of this programme with TESS.
The purpose is to establish a clear and consistent governance and employment structure that drives consistency and supports a sustainable valued workforce to deliver a cost-effective, quality assured service to some of the most vulnerable children and young people in our schools.
Traveller and Roma
A Traveller and Roma Education Strategy (TRES) Oversight Group was established in January 2025 to monitor and oversee implementation of the Strategy and the education-related actions contained in the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II (NTRIS II). Membership includes representatives from Traveller and Roma organisations, Government Departments and relevant agencies.
Progress during the first phase of implementation has included the establishment of a dedicated National TESS TRES team, comprising a National TESS TRES General Manager and two National TESS TRES Coordinators, to support delivery of key actions across the education system. In addition, 13 Community Link Workers have been appointed to strengthen engagement between Traveller and Roma families, schools and local communities, with a particular focus on improving participation, attendance and retention.
Four progress reports have been approved by the Oversight Group to date. The second TRES Implementation and Action Plan (2026–2028), which builds on progress achieved since 2024 and sets out priorities for the next phase of implementation, will be published shortly.
School Attendance
School attendance is everyone’s business and is important to support children and young people’s achievement, wellbeing, and wider development. The latest data published by Tusla in September shows that in the 2023/2024 school year, more than 1 in 5 of all students (22% in primary) missed 20 or more days of school. A multimedia campaign launched in September to raise awareness of the impact of casual nonattendance among children in typical Irish households and to influence attitude and behaviour change among parents, guardians and grandparents with respect to the value of school attendance. The media campaign highlighted the importance and benefits of school attendance.
In May 2025, my predecessor announced ‘Anseo’ which is a Multi-Dimensional Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MD-MTSS) approach to addressing school attendance problems. 60 schools have been offered Anseo from the start of the 2025/26 school year. Tusla Education Support Service worked with the 60 schools throughout the 2025/26 school year, promoting and supporting the implementation of the model which will enable schools to develop effective and appropriate strategies to respond to the drivers of school absenteeism. An additional 125 schools have been offered Anseo from February 2026 and Anseo will be gradually scaled to all schools that applied for the programme by September 2028.
Child protection
Updated Child Protection Procedures for Schools 2025 were published in May 2025. In-person whole school training and DLP/DDLP training in the updated procedures commenced in September 2025 and is expected to conclude in Term 1 2026/2027. Schools must have adopted the 2025 procedures by 31 December 2026.
Capitation
My department secured €39 million in Budget 2026 towards increased capitation funding for primary, post-primary and special schools to provide additional financial support towards their running costs. This will see an increase in the standard capitation rates paid to schools of €50 per pupil for primary schools from €224 to €274.
This will also allow for an increase of €20 in capitation rates for Urban Band One DEIS primary schools, increasing the mainstream pupil rate in these schools to €294.
The increased capitation rates will also see special schools now receive the same rates of mainstream capitation, for young people aged 12 and over, as for their peers in mainstream post-primary schools. These increases will take effect from September 2026. This funding will benefit schools around the country in managing their day-to-day running costs.
These increases in Budget 2026 are in addition to the increases announced as part of the capitation package in Budget 2025 where over €30 million was secured as a permanent increase in capitation funding. This represented an increase of circa 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates of capitation effective from September 2025.
School books
The Primary Schoolbooks Scheme eliminates the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for parents of children and young people enrolled in recognised primary and special schools. €46.9 million has been allocated for the third year of the Primary Schoolbooks Scheme and over 540,000 children and young people in primary and special schools are benefitting from the scheme in the 2025/26 school year.
Curriculum Redevelopment Published in September 2025, the redeveloped Primary School Curriculum is the first major update since 1999 and applies to all primary and special schools. It covers five key areas:
- Arts Education (including Art, Drama and Music)
- Language (including Irish, English and Modern Foreign Languages)
- Social and Environmental Education (including History and Geography)
- STEM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education)
- Wellbeing (including Physical Education and Social, Personal and Health Education).
The redeveloped curriculum marks a major milestone in primary education. It provides inclusive, evidence-based learning, teaching, and assessment. It builds on existing strengths in primary and special schools while richer, more engaging experiences for every child.
Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) was introduced as part of the Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile (PLC/CTB) on a phased basis for 3rd to 6th classes from September 2025.
The new Primary Wellbeing specification, which encompasses SPHE and PE, was published in September 2025. This must be one of the first three specifications to be introduced by schools from the 2026/2027 school year.
Grants of €10m provided to primary and special schools in December 2025 to support implementation of the new primary wellbeing specification. Ongoing development of resources for teachers and parents to include the NCCA primary wellbeing toolkit.
Wellbeing
Cineáltas Action Plan on Bullying is our whole-education approach to preventing and addressing bullying behaviour in schools. The Cineáltas Implementation Report for 2024 was published in January 2026. In the first two years of implementation, 20 of the 61 actions contained in the plan have been fully implemented with all remaining actions in progress. The Cineáltas Implementation Report for 2025 is due to be published in the coming months. The “Bí Cineálta Procedures to Prevent and Address Bullying Behaviour for Primary and Post-Primary Schools” have been implemented in schools from the beginning of the 25/26 school year. Implementation of the procedures has been supported by a suite of professional learning resources and information sessions for school staff, Board of Management members and parents.
In April 2025 my department launched Neart, the new national programme of mental health and wellbeing resources and training for post-primary schools, delivered in a partnership between the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and Jigsaw - The National Centre for Youth Mental Health
NEPS has engaged in extensive training of school staff in the area of trauma-informed practice. The following have been delivered over the 2025-2026 school year: eLearning course: ‘Introducing a Trauma Informed Approach: The Stress Factor - Getting the Balance Right’, An introductory session for the eLearning course 'Introducing a Trauma Informed Approach: The Stress Factor - Getting the Balance Right', Follow-Up Webinar: Understanding Trauma- Using a Trauma Informed Approach in Schools. A new standalone Trauma Informed Practice resource for schools will also be available in the autumn for schools to use.
The following programmes of support were also provided by NEPS:
- FRIENDS Resilience: programme supported online or through in person cluster supports meetings.
- Student Support Teams: Training and in school implementation support for post primary schools to review and develop their systems to support the wellbeing and welfare of all students
- Responding to Critical Incidents eLearning Course
- Embracing Diversity webinars
Reluctant School Attendance and school avoidance behaviours: Resources and webinars provided. The Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot provides one-to-one counselling supports to children presenting with mild to moderate mental health needs in primary schools in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary. In the 2024/2025 school year 752 children availed of counselling supports, and for the current school year, to date approximately 701 children have availed of counselling supports.
In October 2024, the pilot was extended to 61 urban DEIS primary schools in Dublin Southwest and Dublin North In the 2024/2025 school year 54 children availed of counselling, and for the current school year, to date approximately 209 children have availed of counselling.
In March 2026, my department launched the DEIS Plus Scheme and Implementation Plan. This extended the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot to an additional 96 primary schools
To date, 20 Education Wellbeing Practitioners have been recruited to 77 schools in cluster areas Cork, Carlow, Dublin 7 and Dublin 16. Working under the direction and supervision of NEPS psychologists, the Education Wellbeing Practitioners offer a weekly presence in schools. They provide supports to pupils, parents, and school staff to support the wellbeing and resilience of the school community. In the 2024/2025 school year 492 interventions were provided to 8,206 children; 234 interventions with 2,058 school management/staff; and 45 interventions with 810 parents/carers. There were also 206 one-to-one skills building interventions provided to children, with each intervention comprising of 6 x half hour weekly sessions
- In the current school year up to the end of June 2026, 703 interventions have been provided to 11,631 children; 141 interventions with 682 school management/staff; and 58 interventions with 731 parents/carers. To date, there has been 145 one-to-one skills building interventions, with children.
- In June 2026 a new recruitment campaign was launched to further expand the number of Education Wellbeing Practitioners under the DEIS Plus Scheme.
Supports for the Irish Language
During 2025, additional resources were provided to An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) to support the new department policy on Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht and the new department action plan for Irish in English-medium schools. COGG has developed and published further resources to support the learning and teaching of Irish on its digital hub “An Tairseach”, including resources for teaching PE through Irish for Junior Infants to 2nd class.
My department provided funding to Foras na Gaeilge for the development of an Irish/Irish dictionary which was launched recently. My department also provided funding for the Gaelbhratach programme and for a review of the Séideán Sí programme with a view to future redevelopment. Further funding is being provided to the Gaelbhratach programme in 2026 under my department’s Plan for Irish in English-medium schools to further increase the opportunities for students to engage with and use the language outside the Irish class.
Some 228 English medium primary schools participated in my department's Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) project in 2025/26. The CLIL project includes sustained support by Oide and COGG and trains teachers to use the CLIL approach for teaching and learning Irish through another subject. At present, primary schools are delivering strands of PE and Maths through Irish. A further 145 English medium primary schools have expressed an interest in participating in the project in 2026/27.
COGG have published resources to support English medium primary schools to deliver PE through Irish from Junior Infants to 2nd class. 3rd and 4th class resources will be published for the 2026/27 school year. 1,392 people to date have accessed these resources.
As part of the new organisational structure of Oide, a new Division called GaelAonad was created during 2024/2025 with responsibility for the curricular area of Irish and schools contexts operating through the medium of Irish. This Division ensures that Oide’s focus on the development of the language is more visible and explicit both internally and externally.
The GaelAonad Division is a cross-sectoral division with responsibility for all elements of professional learning for school leaders and teachers in and through the medium of Irish. It also supports and advises other divisions of Oide in meeting their obligations in the provision of professional learning as Gaeilge.
In September 2025, the approved staffing in the GaelAonad Division increased from 18 secondees to 39. This included a new team to support the implementation of the new Action Plan for Irish in English-medium Schools.
Gaeltacht and Irish language education
In November 2025, my department launched a new Policy for Irish-Medium Education outside of the Gaeltacht, which will support the growth and development of the Irish-medium sector. The policy outlines my department’s vision that Irish-medium education will be available to all in settings that are inclusive and multicultural, and that an ecosystem of appropriate supports will be available for schools and their communities. The policy identifies actions to progress towards this vision across a range of action areas. One of the actions under the policy is the allocation of language support hours for Irish to all Irish-medium schools on a phased basis. These hours have been made available to Irish-medium primary schools outside of the Gaeltacht with DEIS status from the 2025/26 school year.
Also in November, my department published a new Action Plan for Irish in English-Medium Schools. This plan is informed by national consultation, research, and policy and practice for minority languages in other jurisdictions.
Inspectorate
The Inspectorate in my department plays a key role in quality assuring the education system. It actively supports improvement in primary schools, builds capacity, and ensures accountability at school and system levels. To this end, it conducts an annual programme of inspection and advisory visits in primary schools. During inspection visits, inspectors evaluate education quality using a range of inspection types, including unannounced inspections, subject-focused evaluations, and whole school/setting inspections. Inspection reports are published, setting out findings in relation to the quality of practice and recommendations about aspects of education that require improvement. The Inspectorate monitors the effectiveness of school self-evaluation (SSE) in schools during whole-school and subject type evaluations. It undertakes advisory visits to support SSE and engages with teachers and school leaders to ensure improvement in pupil's learning. Through the evaluation of inclusion support and wellbeing in 2025 and 2026, the Inspectorate has provided important findings, recommendations and advice to schools and settings thereby ensuring improvement and support for system-level policy developments.
Support for school principals
In 2025, my department began a trial of new administrative supports and arrangements for principals and boards of management to reduce the non-educational aspect of their workloads. These new posts have the title of Administrative Executives and were introduced in three primary and three post primary schools. The evaluation design and data collection have commenced.
Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
ESD aims to ensure that all learners have the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development in line with Sustainable Development Goals target 4.7. In 2025, ESD funding of €558,000 was delivered to 237 primary schools across the country for a range of ESD projects including enhancing biodiversity in school grounds and outdoor learning spaces, ESD training, workshops and resources, food waste management systems, composting systems, recycling projects, weather stations, energy saving projects, rainwater harvesting systems and many more. ESD themes and principles are embedded across the curriculum at all levels. Further detail is available on our ESD webpage here: ESD to 2030
Digital policy and AI
I was pleased to announce the establishment of a special taskforce to advise on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. The AI in Schools External Advisory Taskforce will support my department in developing a coherent national approach to the safe, responsible and effective use of AI across the school system.
In June 2025, my department issued a circular about advising primary schools of the requirement to implement a policy to ban the use of, and access to, personal mobile phones for the duration of the school day.
My department also published Guidance on AI in Schools in October. This serves as an initial step toward the safe, effective and responsible use of AI in schools, with further development anticipated from Ireland’s partnership with the EU Commission in the multi-country project to develop strategies and tools for AI implementation in school education, as announced in April this year.
