Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I am pleased to outline many of the measures in the education and youth budget for 2026. At the outset, I congratulate the 73,336 students who received their junior certificate results today. It is a big day for them and their families. I was pleased to see the results reflect the changes to the bands that I made in April and the huge work that students did during the year. I congratulate each and every one of them.

In 2026, the total budget for the Department of Education and Youth will be €13.1 billion. Since 2020, funding for school-level education has increased by €4.4 billion. That is a 50% increase and, I hope, a clear indication of our commitment to education. It is clear in the budget as well that I have homed in on a number of areas. First, continuing to invest in special education and in children with additional needs, who need our support the most, and their families. Second, continuing to invest in and expand on the important work done through the DEIS programme, focusing on children most at risk of educational disadvantage. Third, providing additional funding to schools. Like everybody, I have heard what schools have said. Fourth, continuing to invest in youth services and young people across the country.

In relation to special education, we are making a substantial commitment by funding 1,717 additional special needs assistants, SNAs, bringing the figure to nearly 24,900 SNAs, a significant increase on recent years and an acknowledgement SNAs are needed and valued in schools and so important to many children. These professionals play a vital role every day in children getting access to education in a way that meets their individual needs, so this was a real priority. Supporting the work of SNAs is an additional 860 new teaching posts specifically for special education, spanning special classes, special schools and mainstream settings, making sure children get the support they need in the setting most appropriate to them.

Alongside this, €60 million is being invested in rolling out the schools-based therapy service, starting in special schools. The commitment is to roll that out to special classes and mainstream. The recruitment for this will happen in the coming weeks, making sure we have speech and language therapists and occupational therapists to start in our special schools.

It is important for next year that we have those places for children who need them so we have committed to facilitating 3,000 additional school places in special classes and special schools. Working with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and the NCSE, we are starting to identity and get a clear picture of the need for next year. SNAs and special education teachers supporting teachers already in schools are vital in that regard.

The budget has given a clear commitment to try to support those who need our help the most, in particular those at risk of educational disadvantage. Our DEIS plan has worked well to date. More than 260,000 children benefit from it. I want to expand that and make it work as best it can. We have given a commitment to introduce a new DEIS plus plan that will begin to be rolled out next year. That plan will home in on children with more acute needs, providing what they, their schools and their teachers need.

We can provide that. This plan is being developed at the moment with the support of teachers, the school community and children. I look forward to working with colleagues in rolling both of those out and announcing those in the coming weeks.

On school costs, I have heard clearly from schools that they wanted additional financial resources. That is why capitation has been a clear focus. From next year's budget, we have €50 of an increase for primary schools increasing from €224 to €274 per pupil and €20 for post-primary schools raising it from €386 to €406. For those in urban band DEIS 1 primary schools, with the greatest level of need, on top of that increase there will be a further €20, and in particular for students who reach the age of 12 in special schools. At the moment they receive the capitation rate for primary schools, which is the lower rate. We are bridging the gap and bringing them up them to the higher rate, while acknowledging that they have a greater level of need and that we need to provide that higher rate to our special schools.

We are pleased that youth services are under the remit of the Department by bringing together our formal and informal education partners. There is so much we can do. Funding of €8 million across current and capital spending will make sure that we can continue to grow and expand our services, while also focusing on the environment and space they work in. There is €69 million for the school transport scheme, which my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, will expand on further. Additional funding of €19 million is being provided to allow for the continuation of training for our junior cycle and senior cycle reform that is happening, and of course, for the primary school curriculum that is going to be rolled out from next year. On top that as well, there will be 800 additional posts of responsibility. This is very much something we have worked with our unions on to make sure that in the roll-out of the senior cycle that we have posts within our schools to be able to support the roll-out. There is €3 million allocated for school leadership posts to provide more deputy principals in primary and post-primary schools, as well as making sure that we have more additional supports through special needs educators in our post-primary schools.

There is significant investment in capital expenditure making sure we have small scale refurbishment, maintenance work, annual minor works, IT grants solar panelling, and climate action works, as well as a major building programme happening across the country.

See this speech in context