John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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191. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm if an SNA allocation and review can proceed at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22493/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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This 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.

The NCSE is, in the first instance, the primary body responsible for the matter the Deputy has raised. I have forwarded this issue to them for their attention and direct reply.

Deputies are also welcome to raise such queries with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie.

Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if her Department is considering increasing the number of sessions teachers are provided with interpreters in certain circumstances as part of the ‘Say Yes to Languages’ programme; the steps her Department is taking to promote inclusion for teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22496/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that Say Yes to Languages is a ten week module for 3rd to 6th class students in primary schools. The programme aims to increase language awareness and the use of languages and to encourage students to take up a foreign language at post primary level in line with Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017 - 2026. The programme was introduced in 2020/21 in preparation for the formal introduction of foreign languages as part of the Primary Languages Curriculum on a phased basis from September 2025.

Under the programme, the school selects the language of choice based on its resources and demographic. To date, schools have selected 15 different foreign languages and Irish Sign Language. The programme is delivered for one hour per week over ten weeks and training and resources are provided to teachers and external tutors by Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) who manage the programme on behalf of the Department. Schools can use a class teacher or can engage an external tutor to deliver the programme and they receive a grant of €500 per class group either to pay an external tutor or for resources / teacher professional learning if a school based teacher delivers the programme.

It is the Department’s position that languages should be taught through the target language, in line with best practice for the teaching and learning of languages. In terms of ISL, PPLI offer training to the ISL tutors participating in the programme in collaboration with the Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College, Dublin. This training includes pedagogical approaches to teaching languages through the target language without the use of interpretation. Notwithstanding this, in order to support ISL tutors, there is a provision as part of the programme to cover the cost of Irish Sign Language Interpretation for two sessions to facilitate induction and meetings between the ISL tutor and the school principal and staff. The Say Yes to Languages programme will be phased out over time as the new Primary Languages Curriculum, including foreign languages, is phased in from September 2025. Phase 2 will commence in September 2025 for 5th and 6th classes and, as set out in Circular 0031/2025, the closing date for schools to apply to participate is 16th May 2025.

The Department has received similar correspondence to that referred to by the Deputy. It is presently under consideration and will be responded to in due course.