Written answers
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Department of Education and Skills
- Special Educational Needs
477. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of establishing an initial panel of 90 speech and language therapists for schools as a shared resource. [29377/25] - School Staff
478. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to detail any grants or schemes available to primary schools to support the employment of disabled staff members (details supplied). [28933/25] - Special Educational Needs
479. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special schools in Ireland, broken down by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28945/25] - School Transport
484. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which she plans to address the anomaly whereby a student does not qualify for school transport from Bus Éireann due to the fact... - National Educational Psychological Service
486. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full year costs to recruit 30 additional educational psychologist for the National Educational Psychologist Service. [28966/25] - Schools Refurbishment
487. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will move to construction phase. [28967/25] - Schools Building Projects
488. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a schedule of all active new school construction projects and expansion projects in Cavan and Monaghan; the stage each... - Schools Refurbishment
489. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed. [28969/25] - Schools Building Projects
491. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a schedule of all active new school construction projects and expansion projects in Meath; the stage of each project is at;... - School Staff
492. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether is a connection between the huge increases in absenteeism at primary and secondary schools and the increase in working from... - Special Educational Needs
493. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of SNA allocations that were recommended to the NCSE by SENOs versus the actual number that were allocated; and to provide a breakdown... - Education Schemes
494. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount in funding in total that has been secured from REPowerEU to fund an expanded school pathfinder decarbonisation and retrofit programme... - School Funding
496. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to confirm the allocated budget in her Department for a climate-focused summer works programme for 2025; if significant roof replacement works... - Special Educational Needs
497. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to confirm that a school (details supplied) will be permitted to open a fourth ASD class, where the school had offered places to children to open... - Departmental Data
498. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if Educate Together schools can expand their prioritisation to outside their school planning area (SPA), where no Educate Together exists in... - Special Educational Needs
499. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will examine a case (details supplied) whereby a five-year-old child has received no offer for a school place in a special... - School Staff
501. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to review the policy that allows teachers to apply for a career break after completing 12 months of continuous employment with their... - Schools Building Projects
502. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a new school building for a school (details supplied). [29068/25] - School Transport
503. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the distance to be eligible for the school transport scheme will be reduced to 2 km; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29075/25] - School Staff
504. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made towards her Department directly employing cleaners and caretakers in primary schools; and if she will make a... - Teaching Qualifications
505. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the implementation of the timebound provision and the date it will come into effect in Q2 2025. [29077/25] - School Enrolments
506. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) has been instructed not to accept any more junior infants from the local area. [29081/25] - School Funding
507. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the scheduling of the minor works grant; the reasons for its delay this year; and if she will make a statement... - School Enrolments
509. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the current and planned expansions of primary schools in north Kildare, in tabular form, and the status of same. [29086/25] - Education Policy
510. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will outline the thresholds currently in place as part of the demographic demand analysis that would warrant a school extension or a new... - School Funding
511. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding funding for primary schools; and if she will make a statement... - Special Educational Needs
512. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of mild general learning classes in north Tipperary; the number of classes she anticipates there will be in September 2025; if there... - Teaching Qualifications
517. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the progress of the timebound provision for teachers who qualify outside of the Republic of Ireland; her views with respect to... - School Enrolments
518. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the D15 pilot scheme for common enrolment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29141/25] - School Attendance
521. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide statistics of school attendance for primary and post primary students the day before a bank holiday, in tabular form. [29189/25] - School Funding
522. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to make additional funding available for schools if the capitation and ancillary grant does not cover the cost of a cleaner... - School Transport
524. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration can be given to issuing new contracts for the School Transport Scheme without delay after the expiry of each term at the end of... - Departmental Inquiries
525. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of an issue with question 13(c) on the 2024 Junior Certificate home economics paper (details supplied); if she intends to have... - Schools Building Projects
526. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the extent to which muscovite mica was used in the construction of school buildings, the impact of the use of defective... - Special Educational Needs
528. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools who were asked but declined to open special classes in their schools, per county, in tabular form. [29305/25] - School Funding
532. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 217 of 22 May 2025, if she will provide further assistance to a school (details supplied) in its campus... - Departmental Reviews
533. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if, in light of the Karshan Supreme Court ruling, her Department will review its agreement with Revenue to label all home tutors as self-employed... - School Admissions
534. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of a family (details supplied), relating to an admissions policy; and if she will make a... - School Funding
536. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when national schools and special schools will receive the 2025 minor works grant; if there will be an increase in the amount payable to offset... - School Staff
537. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reconsider the way staff are counted in special schools from a management point of view (details supplied); and if she will make a... - Special Educational Needs
538. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when she expects SNA staffing allocations for the 2025-2026 primary school year to be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter.... - National Council for Special Education
541. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how mild general learning disability students are being catered for in mainstream schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29418/25] - Departmental Correspondence
543. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will give detailed consideration to the issues outlined in correspondence from workers in the education sector (details supplied). [29444/25] - Departmental Contracts
544. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide clarity on the current criteria and period a teacher must meet in order to be offered a permanent contract; if there are any... - Special Educational Needs
545. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the SNA review of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29471/25] - Departmental Correspondence
546. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will give urgent and detailed consideration to the issues outlined in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement... - Immigration Support Services
548. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding educational supports for IPAS centre residents; how any school place shortages at a local level are addressed; and if she... - Special Educational Needs
550. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a 5th special class will be granted for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29521/25] - Education Welfare Service
551. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process of referring a primary school pupil to an educational psychologist for assessment; if there is a certain number of referrals... - Departmental Contracts
552. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to detail any contracts entered into by her Department, agencies under the aegis of her Department or by schools that have notified her... - School Admissions
553. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider a streamlined school allocation process for primary and post-primary allocation (details supplied); and if she will make a... - Departmental Funding
554. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of the youth affairs funding schemes and the funding allocated to each in 2025, in tabular form; the breakdown of... - Departmental Staff
555. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of staff members employed to support the school completion programme in Galway in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and... - Special Educational Needs
556. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which she proposes to bridge the current qualification gap experienced by special needs teachers who hold a BA in early childhood... - Teaching Council of Ireland
557. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will request the Teaching Council of Ireland to issue guidance to special needs teachers who hold BA in early childhood education awarded... - School Transport
558. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if assistance will be provided to a child (details supplied) who is trying to avail of school transport due to medical needs; and if she will... - School Accommodation
559. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the additional accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29605/25] - National Youth Work Advisory Committee
560. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work that is underway and that has taken place to date, on implementing the actions for which Youth Affairs is the lead on Opportunities for... - Special Educational Needs
564. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children looking for placements in special schools in Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W and 8 respectively, in May in each of the years 2020,2021,... - Schools Building Projects
566. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will consider building a second-level school tailored for children with disabilities and additional learning supports that... - School Transport
567. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will establish a school bus route for the 30-plus secondary-school children living in the Nenagh/Silvermines area travelling to... - Departmental Funding
568. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the breakdown of ICT and minor works funding (details supplied), by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29676/25] - School Accommodation
569. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and secondary schools of which her Department is aware that have existing premises that can accommodate additional special... - Special Educational Needs
570. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the projected number of special school places in both primary and post primary required for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2027-2028... - National Council for Special Education
571. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of recommendations made by the NCSE for special classes for the 2025-2026 school year, broken down according to type (autism spectrum... - Schools Building Projects
572. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to the provision of a new co-educational school in the Cabra Phibsborough D7 school planning area; and if she... - School Accommodation
573. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools adding modular accommodation to their existing premises to open new special classes in the (2025-2026, 2026-2027 and... - Schools Building Projects
575. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the tender process will begin for a new school building for a school (details supplied); when it is expected that the tendering process will... - Special Educational Needs
576. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a national school (details supplied) will be facilitated by the department in establishing a 5th ASD class to cater for children in the... - School Equipment
577. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools in the State that are requiring parents to pay for electronic devices for use in school. [29766/25] - Schools Refurbishment
579. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to engage the SEAI Pathfinder Programme with a school in Drogheda (details supplied) to achieve their retrofit and energy goals, and replace... - School Staff
580. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to reverse the decision to remove a teacher from the allocation of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.... - Departmental Contracts
581. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review the start date for a person’s contract of indefinite duration (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the... - Departmental Funding
582. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the first and full year costing of funding Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate mock exams in tabular form. [29830/25] - School Staff
583. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm the current status of negotiations regarding bereavement leave entitlements for school secretaries now employed directly by... - Special Educational Needs
584. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that a school (details supplied) did not receive sanction for a special class for the upcoming school year. [29840/25] - School Admissions
585. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children living on the Donabate peninsula that access primary and secondary schools outside the Donabate area; to include details... - School Staff
586. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will urgently engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform and address the disparity... - Departmental Policies
587. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29850/25] - Special Educational Needs
588. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider granting a third special class in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29854/25] - Departmental Staff
590. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current allocation of educational welfare officers in County Longford, noting that there is only one officer currently in situ; if and when... - Special Educational Needs
591. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children seeking special school places and special class places, by county, for the past five years; the projected demand for the... - School Accommodation
592. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update in relation to the additional school accommodation application for a school (details supplied) given the need for urgent... - School Transport
593. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the maximum distance a child should need to travel for a school place to be considered appropriate. [29859/25] - Special Educational Needs
594. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children are seeking special class places in the various categories of special class, broken down by county, in tabular form; and... - School Admissions
595. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date by which all offers of school places for September 2025 will be issued. [29861/25] - Special Educational Needs
596. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post primary schools in the country do not have a special class; the name and counties of same; and if she will make a... - Departmental Staff
597. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department will formally announce the reforms of how teachers get CID, changing from the current two consecutive years for CID to one... - National Council for Special Education
599. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools each year that have signalled their interest to the National Council For Special Education in opening a special class, but... - School Accommodation
600. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the prefabs at a school (details supplied); when they will be replaced; and if she will make a statement on the... - Schools Building Projects
601. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the delivery of a new school (details supplied) on the previously purchased site on Fosterstown lands; and if she will... - Special Educational Needs
604. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children projected to transition into special classes in post primary over the next ten years, broken down by county and type of... - Teaching Council of Ireland
618. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has information in relation to planned reforms to the revised Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2016 to facilitate the... - School Facilities
619. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm the specific rental period and facilities covered by a payment made to the Board of Management at a school (details... - School Staff
620. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to investigate and allow for paid bereavement leave for a school secretary (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.... - School Funding
621. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to engage with various Ministers to provide a once off stand alone grant to a sports and leisure complex in County Kerry (details supplied); and... - Special Educational Needs
624. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated first year, whole year and school year cost of 250 and 1600 additional full time SNAs, in tabular form; and if she will make a... - Departmental Funding
626. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to increase funding for the summer programme by 15% by first year, full year and school year cost, in tabular form; and if she... - Special Educational Needs
628. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated current and capital cost of implementing the plan to open at least four special classes in every post-primary school in the State;... - Departmental Staff
630. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated first-, whole- and school-year cost of recruiting 15 additional educational psychologists. [29915/25] - School Accommodation
631. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated capital cost of building modular accommodation to allow for 50 additional special classes; and if she will make a statement on the... - Teaching Council of Ireland
633. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of a case (details supplied) in which a teacher has been notified that they will not be able to teach from next year on due to... - Departmental Data
634. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for a list of the post-primary schools in the Cabra-Phibsborough school planning area. [29938/25] - Special Educational Needs
635. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the case of a child (details supplied) who has been approved for an SNA; when an SNA will be appointed in respect of this... - Teaching Council of Ireland
636. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person will be assisted in obtaining clearance from the UAE to progress their Teaching Council application (details supplied); and if she... - School Funding
637. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the introduction of an annual schedule of guaranteed school grants can be provided to all primary schools in advance of the academic year... - Schools Building Projects
639. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of her Department’s commitments in relation to a school building (details supplied); the timeline for the necessary emergency... - Special Educational Needs
640. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of providing for all currently staffed special needs assistants (SNA's) to complete the UCD online training designed for... - Departmental Properties
641. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans that are in place to utilise the land and building following the relocation of a school (details supplied); if there will be community... - Departmental Correspondence
642. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to review correspondence (details supplied) and the status of the provision of a new national school in Belturbet, County Cavan. [30057/25] - Schools Refurbishment
643. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for the closure, refurbishment and reopening of schools (details supplied). [30059/25] - Departmental Staff
644. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 188 of 7 May 2025, if the person is part of the public service pensions scheme; the actions that are... - Special Educational Needs
645. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to a teacher shortage in a school (details supplied) resulting in an inability to provide adequate support for a... - Schools Building Projects
646. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a design team has been appointed to a new school project (details supplied); the up-to-date position on advancing the new school buildings;... - Departmental Data
647. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to list the secondary schools in the Cabra-Phibsborough-Dublin 7 school planning area; the number of first-year places available in each school... - School Admissions
651. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the projected number of junior-infant enrolments in the Cabra-Phibsborough-Dublin 7 school planning area in September 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and... - Departmental Data
652. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the data sources used by her Department to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where... - School Accommodation
653. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills how her Department uses child-benefit data to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional... - Schools Building Projects
655. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures her Department can take to provide a co-educational primary or post-primary school in an area where no such option currently exists... - School Admissions
656. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a breakdown of the reported 10% surplus of first-year places in the Cabra-Phibsborough-Dublin 7 school planning area for the 2024/2025... - Departmental Data
657. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of first-year students in each post-primary school in the Cabra-Phibsborough-Dublin 7 school planning area in 2024/2025 versus... - School Accommodation
658. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the provision for secondary school places that was made as per the plan (details supplied), following the increase in residential developments in... - Schools Building Projects
659. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to consider providing a new co-educational secondary school in the Cabra/Phibsborough, D7 school planning area; whether current data available to... - Departmental Programmes
661. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will investigate the suitability of the Reading Recovery programme for those with dyslexia; and if she will make a statement on the... - Schools Building Projects
664. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a new modular classroom which has been approved by her Department, will be in place for a Donegal school (details supplied). [30304/25] - Departmental Staff
666. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full year costs to recruit 50 additional WTE educational welfare officers. [30399/25] - Departmental Projects
667. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of your place your space projects currently operation in north Tipperary; and the number and job title of personnel employed in each... - School Funding
668. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for the roll out of supportive therapies art, drama, equine therapies, wellbeing supports and nurture room grants to name some to... - School Transport
669. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the current position and the plans in place to allow persons aged 70 and over, subject to appropriate medical checks, to undertake school bus... - School Funding
670. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing funding for Gaelscoileanna by 5%, 10%, and 20%, in tabular form. [30487/25] - Special Educational Needs
671. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a response will issue to correspondence from a person (details supplied) and this Deputy regarding a child's special education school... - School Funding
673. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which ancillary grants were paid to schools and the amount in total, for 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025; the changes that have been... - Departmental Staff
674. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a home school community liaison for a school (details supplied) which would greatly benefit from the role; and if she will... - Schools Building Projects
675. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the progress of the new building for a school (details supplied), in light of the project now facing its fourth delay, with the... - School Staff
676. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department is reviewing the loss of a teaching post in a school (details supplied); if consideration is being given to reinstating the... - School Funding
678. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a breakdown of school funding in 2024 and 2025, per county, in tabular form. [30535/25] - School Staff
679. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) has had its teacher allocation cut, forcing it to form multigrade classes of first and second class... - Special Educational Needs
680. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the expected timeline for completing the SNA workforce development programme to provide clarity on their role and career paths; and if she will... - Renewable Energy Generation
683. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills given the success of the solar panels for schools scheme if her Department has considered expanding the number of solar panels a school can... - School Enrolments
684. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the work her Department is undertaking to map the number of children who will be enrolling in mainstream primary school in the next five years;... - School Staff
686. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consultation is underway with regard to outstanding pay and conditions for school secretaries and ancillary staff; and if she will make a... - School Attendance
688. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to tackle absenteeism in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30595/25] - Education Welfare Service
689. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the funding levels for home school liaison officers and other measures to help ensure young people complete school; and if she will make a... - Youth Services
690. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the consideration she has given to funding for youth services, newly moved into her Department, in Budget 2026; if she is aware of the National... - Departmental Properties
691. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has purchased a property (details supplied); and if the purchase is complete. [30624/25] - School Staff
692. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will liaise with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to grant public-service status to school secretaries to... - Educational Disadvantage
693. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will be given DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30647/25] - School Textbooks
694. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the free schoolbook scheme for students in Junior Cycle years; if consideration has been given to including private... - Teaching Qualifications
695. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an update on the timebound provision; and if she can guarantee that it will be in place and open in Q2. [30694/25]
No comments