Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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737. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether at least one of the suppressed posts at a school (details supplied) will be reconsidered to help alleviate unsustainable strain; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58539/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.

Due to falling enrolments, the school referred to by the Deputy lost a teaching post and its administrative principal status this year.

The staffing schedule at primary level operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally. Ensuring that teaching posts are allocated consistently and fairly amongst schools is an important part of the annual allocations process. The school's current mainstream staffing is Teaching Principal and five classroom teachers. This allocation is based on the enrolment on 30 September 2024 which was 158. The school's enrolment on 30 September this year was 148. The enrolment required for a sixth classroom teacher is 164.

The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school referred to by the Deputy appealed to the June meeting of the Appeals Board, but the appeal was unsuccessful.

In addition to the mainstream staffing, the school has an allocation of 82.5 Special Education hours, comprised of three fulltime teachers in the school and 7.5 hours being provided by a teacher in a shared post. The school also has 1.4 EAL (English as an Additional Language) posts.

Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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739. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of pupils in County Kildare receiving additional supports under the Special Education Teaching allocation for each year from 2022 to 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58606/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an appropriate education is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me, my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special class and special school places are provided. This is in keeping with policy on an inclusive education, which promotes that children will be supported to receive an education in the most inclusive setting possible.

The Special Education Teaching (SET) Allocation Model is a standardised allocation model that provides schools with additional teaching hours to support the teaching needs of students in mainstream classes.

When the model was introduced, it replaced a diagnosis led model with one based on need. This ensures the allocation supports all children that require a level of additional teaching support as identified through the Continuum of Support framework.

All schools must deploy their SET resources allocated for mainstream classes in line with the continuum of support. Primacy within the continuum of support is that the child with the greatest level of need is provided with the greatest level of support, as a result the number of students supported is maintained at a local level.

For the 2025/26 school year close to 15,000 special education teachers have been allocated to schools to support these children and young people.