Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

468. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures announced in Budget 2026 which will specifically support children with additional needs in mainstream settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55135/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

469. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide more detail on the way in which the 2026 allocation of SNAs and SETs will be deployed across mainstream and specialised settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55136/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

480. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the specific measures in Budget 2026 which will target behaviours of concern; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55217/25]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

498. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills of the €3 billion in funding provided to special education in Budget 2026, the amount that is for existing levels of service and the amount for new measures. [55292/25]

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

513. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional special classes that will be sanctioned from the SEN allocation of Budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55326/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 468, 469, 480, 498 and 513 together.

This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. It has always been a priority for this Government to ensure that our schools have the necessary resources to support children with special educational needs in the setting that best meets their needs. Over the last five years, since this Government came into office in 2020, over 1,900 new special classes have been provided so that there are now over 3,700 special classes available in our primary and post-primary schools. Over the same period 16 new special schools have been opened. Budget 2026 has provided a record level of funding in excess of €3 billion which builds on the sustained investment of this Government over recent years and is delivering real and meaningful change for children with special educational needs and their families nationwide.

This level of funding will see an additional 860 special education teachers and 1,717 SNAs to support children across mainstream, special classes and special schools. This means in 2026 we will have almost 24,900 SNAs in our education system. The SNA role is crucial in supporting the most vulnerable children to attend school and access education across all settings. The additional SNA posts are based on meeting the level of need that presents in our schools across special classes, special schools and mainstream settings. In total there will be over 46,500 dedicated staff to support children with special educational needs in our schools.

The additional Budget measures are just one part of how we improve the educational journey of children with additional needs. As well as the additional provision as set out in Budget 2026, the NCSE and the Department of Education continue to work closely to forward plan for the provision of special class and special school places. It is not just about how many special classes and special school places we create, we need to ensure that our forward planning caters for every child who needs this level of support at the earliest possible opportunity.

The NCSE and the Department of Education continue to work closely to forward plan for the provision of special class and special school places. As Minister I have been clear that every child who requires a special education place should have access to one as they need it. I am conscious of the stress for parents and children in not knowing where the place may be and the Department and NCSE have worked together tirelessly to ensure there are sufficient places available for all children known to the NCSE.

This will be achieved primarily through the repurposing of existing capacity, ensuring that every child has a place in a class that meets their needs. Building on considerable progress made in recent years, it is envisaged that some additional new special schools will also be established for the 2026/27 school year. In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0039/2025. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning going forward and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child. An earlier date of 1 October was agreed so the NCSE can ensure classes are delivered earlier and this will give certainty to parents and schools which is something I am committed to providing.

This notification will provide the NCSE with valuable information as to which children will continue to require a special class as they progress to post-primary level and details on students who require a place for the first time. The NCSE is actively communicating this requirement nationally also. The earlier date will allow for earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2026/27 school year, and it is the aim of the NCSE to sanction the majority of new special classes by 31 December 2025.

With regard to mainstream, 1,500 additional special education teaching posts have been allocated to mainstream classes over the last 4 years. It is a priority that schools get the level of resources required to support children who can avail of mainstream settings and the recent NCSE reviews following the 2025 Special Education Teacher (SET) allocations show that where a school needs additional support this will be provided. This process will continue in 2026.

Budget 2026 has provided the resources needed to continue the expansion of the Education Therapy Service (ETS). This service builds on the existing service provision within the NCSE. The NCSE currently provide continued support to mainstream schools through a Teacher Professional Learning service which includes follow up coaching and mentoring.

The ETS also provides supports to mainstream schools through the sustained support service which is operational in 22 schools in the eastern region and 28 schools in the western region during the 2025/2026 school year. These supports ensure that all children including those with additional educational needs have access to supports designed to maximise their participation and potential.

Guidelines on “Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations”, were published in December 2024 and a range of training opportunities is available to schools through the National Council for Special Education to support their engagement with the guidelines and with the broader issue of student behaviour. A private provider is currently contracted by the NCSE to provide Behaviours of Concern training. The provider is contracted to provide training through a direct delivery approach or through a train the trainer approach. The training will see the provision of whole-school Crisis Prevention training to all teachers and SNAs across Special Schools in the country. Training commenced during 2025. The NCSE report that they expect that one third of the training to special schools will be delivered in 2025. Funding secured in Budget 2026 will enable the training for Special Schools to be continued in 2026. Funding for behaviour training has also been secured in this budget and this funding will ensure that training will commence its roll out to Special Classes attached to mainstream schools in 2026.

This Government recognises the challenges for schools in meeting the needs of children with special educational needs. On my many school visits, transitions remains a key issue of concern for parents and children. In particular the challenge for children with special educational needs in moving from a familiar one class setting at primary level to multiple classes, sometimes in a large post primary school can be daunting. As the numbers of children with special educational needs moves form primary to post primary in line with demographics, it is essential that post primary schools can ensure alignment of supports for children with special educational needs in mainstream as well as in special classes. Additional funding is being provided to ensure this can happen without reducing the core contact time with children through the special education teacher allocation.

Budget 2026 will see targeted investment being provided to help with planning and transitioning for children with special educational needs from our special schools into further and higher education and adult services as appropriate. The details of how this will be implemented will be worked through with our education partners, parents and advocacy groups in the days and weeks ahead. This will build on excellent work we have seen in some pilot projects which has made a small start in this area but I am conscious that much more needs to be done.

Budget 2026 will also allow for further investment in other key areas of special education provision. There will be additional funding to help with enhanced training requirements for teachers and SNAs and additional grant funding to external bodies to assist with supports for children with special educational needs.

This budget also carries a focus on assistive technology and additional funding is being provided to allow for the implementation of the review of the AT scheme which is designed to make it easier for schools to access supports.

I would also point to the other initiatives that we are providing for in Budget 2026 that will have a particular benefit to children with special educational needs, such as the increases in the capitation rates which are being provided to support children with special educational needs in our special classes and special schools. On my visits to schools this issue has been consistently highlighted to me and I know this increase to the base capitation rate is vital to schools to reflect the higher costs associated with running a classroom for smaller numbers of children and to support those children’s individualised needs.

As can be seen from the record funding provided for Special Education in 2026, my department is committed to continuing to work closely with all stakeholders in education to ensure we build on this progress in 2026 and beyond.

The Budget documentation published earlier this week sets out funding for key measures and actions agreed for the coming year. As the Deputy may be aware, in line with standard practice, the final allocation of funding for my Department for 2026 will be set out in the 2026 Revised Estimates Volume (REV) which is due to be published later this year. Further details on the 2026 allocations for my Department will be available after the 2026 REV process is complete.