Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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349. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to examine the case for provision of an ASD room in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28501/25]

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 National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

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.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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350. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider expanding English as an additional language (EAL) teachers to special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28521/25]

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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354. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if English as an additional language (EAL) teachers are available to special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28525/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 354 together.

Special schools support children and young people aged between 4 and 18 years of age with the most complex special educational needs and ensure positive links are established and fostered between the home, school and other agencies for these children.

Language supports to special schools are provided in line with the agreed EAL allocation in circumstances where there is a recognised level of need.

The department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment and has prioritised enhanced English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, recognising the critical role of language proficiency in successful integration and academic achievement.

All schools are advised in the first instance to review whether the needs of newly enrolled students can be met from within existing allocations. Language supports are included through Special Education Teaching (SET) which encompasses an element of language (EAL) support allocation. Under this SET model, schools are frontloaded with resources to provide support immediately to those students who need it without delay.

The department's policies enable flexible resource allocation to ensure that the resources follow children in the event of them changing schools. Schools may also apply for further language support by an application process during the school year, should their circumstances change. These supports to schools, based on application process, are provided for new-entrant students (i.e., students that arrived in the country in the last two years with an EAL requirement) and those schools with a high concentration of students that are not classified as new-entrant students but who have an EAL need i.e., those with less than three years EAL support and register less than B1 in an English proficiency test.

Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider providing a multi-annual fund, available on a rolling basis, to special schools to help cover the cost of non-routine day-to-day expenses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28522/25]

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 National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.

A higher rate of capitation is paid to special schools in recognition that these schools have additional challenges when supporting their enrolled students. My department has also introduced a number of initiatives aimed at providing specific supports to special schools, such as including additional administrative deputy principal posts, additional teaching posts, dedicated National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) supports and a priority of NCSE services including in the area of behaviour and training for special schools.

My department continues to review the supports offered to special schools and continues to engage with school management, patrons and other stakeholders to ensure all special schools are supported in providing children with the most complex of need an education befitting their needs.

I want to assure?you also that my department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.