Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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148. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a special needs assistant national school redeployment application will be processed for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64329/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Work to develop a Special Needs Assistants (SNA) Redeployment Scheme, is at an advanced stage. This important policy initiative will ensure that competent, knowledgeable and experienced SNAs are retained in our schools, building capacity in the workforce and enhancing the service to children with special educational needs.

The Scheme will be operated by the National Council for Education (NCSE), with the ongoing support of the SNA Workforce Development unit and relevant Department of Education and Youth units.

Operation of the SNA Redeployment Scheme will provide an opportunity for redeployment of eligible SNAs as the need arises at the start of the 2026/27 school year.

Jennifer Whitmore (Wicklow, Social Democrats)
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149. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if children applying to reading schools will continue to receive support from the National Council for Special Education after the 1 October parent notify process deadline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64330/25]

Michael Moynihan (Cork North-West, Fianna Fail)
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The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is currently collating the data and information received by 1 October through the parents notify process and are engaging with schools regarding where specialist provision is best placed for the 2026/27 school year. It is envisioned that the majority of these special classes will be sanctioned by 31 December 2025.

While the NCSE report a very significant level of contact from parents of children and young people with autism seeking a special class or special school place for the 2026/2027 school year, there has been smaller numbers of children seeking a reading class or reading school place for September 2026 coming to the attention of the NCSE by the new 1 October timeline. These schools and classes are small in number and reflect that for children with reading difficulties generally, significant additional resources have been allocated over recent years to all schools so that they can continue to be supported in their local school which is important and reflects my commitment to inclusive education.

Although applications for these schools and classes were not received by the agreed and published timelines my Department and the NCSE will support those families and schools to enrol children for September 2026 who had not made themselves known to the NCSE by the 1 October timeline. NCSE will continue to monitor the level of need for these type of classes and special schools.

This is an interim measures, in circumstances where the numbers impacted are small, but it is important to note that all schools, including reading schools and classes are required to implement the new procedures in line with other special schools and schools with special classes for admission for September 2027.

NCSE will continue to support all children made known to them after the October deadline, however, it is important for planning purposes that we set an earlier timeframe for which the NCSE has as much local knowledge and detail as possible in order to plan what new provision is required.

At present, there are four special schools, and fourteen special classes attached to mainstream schools to support students with a specific learning disability such as severe dyslexia. I want to acknowledge the excellent work they do. It is important to note they were established at a time when there were much fewer additional supports in schools.

In working to develop a more inclusive education system, we want to support students to attend their local mainstream schools. This means that children can be educated with their peers and are not required to travel long distances to attend special schools or classes.?

My department provides over 15,000 special education teachers to support schools to achieve this objective. This means schools get a substantial additional teaching allocation to support children with special education needs in mainstream classes. These additional resources are provided to support students with the greatest level of need, including those with dyslexia or severe dyslexia.

To build the capacity of teachers in mainstream schools to meet the needs of all students my department funds 338 places annually for teachers to attend post-graduate special education needs programmes.

Separately the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) offers dedicated professional learning opportunities for teachers supporting students with additional needs.

The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has published guidance on Supporting Students with Literacy Difficulties/Dyslexia Using the Continuum of Support. NEPS also offers professional learning opportunities to all primary and post primary school teachers on supporting children and young people with literacy difficulties, including dyslexia.

Funding is also available to schools for the purchase of specialised equipment to assist children. Schools can apply to the NCSE, through their local special educational needs organiser (SENO) for such support.