Written answers
Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Department of Education and Skills
Teacher Training
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to consider creating a required school placement in a special education setting in teacher training courses, that will prepare primary school teachers to teach in a special class or special school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6687/26]
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Education and Youth is committed to ensuring that student teachers at primary and post-primary level have the skills they need to support the diverse needs of all our children and young people. It is critical that our teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to continue to deliver high quality and inclusive education.
To that end, in March 2025, my department wrote to the Teaching Council to initiate a process to move towards a mandatory assessed placement period in a special education needs (SEN) setting for all student teachers undertaking programmes of Initial Teacher Education (ITE). This measure is intended to strengthen student teachers’ preparedness to teach by developing their knowledge of responding to learners with diverse educational needs.
In seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the current landscape of school placement provision in special education settings, the Teaching Council conducted a survey across all ITE providers in April 2025. A 100% response rate was received, providing comprehensive insight into existing provision and identifying areas requiring further development to meet the special education placement requirement.
The Teaching Council is preparing a draft Guidance Note for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in relation to an assessed special education placement period and has engaged with officials in my department and ITE providers throughout the development process. Subject to approval by the Teaching Council, this Guidance Note will be issued to HEI’s in advance of interim enactment in September 2026.
Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
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50. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the supports in place and the training available to ensure that all teachers are equipped to teach in a special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6688/26]
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Providing inclusive education to children with special educational needs is a fundamental principle of my Department’s education and training system. This principle is put into practice through the policies of my Department and the Teaching Council and the supports provided to schools, for example through the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and Oide.
Inclusive education (including Special Education) is a core element of all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes. Inclusive education, as defined in the Céim standards for Initial Teacher Education, refers to any aspect of teachers’ learning which aims to
- Improve their capacity to address and respond to the diversity of learners’ needs – which specifically includes the needs of children with autism;
- Remove barriers to education through the accommodation and provision of appropriate structures and arrangements;
- Enable each learner to achieve the maximum benefit from his/her attendance at school.
Regarding additional training for teachers, on an annual basis, the Department of Education and Youth provides funding for two distinct categories of post-graduate programmes for Special Education Teachers:
- Post-Graduate Diploma Programme of Teacher Professional Learning for Special Education Teachers.
- Graduate Certificate in Autism Education for teachers working with Autistic Pupils in Special Schools, Special Classes or as Special Education Teachers in mainstream Primary and Post-Primary Schools.
Through its everyday work, the NCSE aligns its teacher professional learning (TPL) with the Teaching Council’s national framework for teacher professional learning. One of the main aims of the NCSE is to support teachers and schools in a way that builds capacity, supports the inclusion of all children, including students with special educational needs, at a whole school level. NCSE employs a number of specialist roles to support schools and build teacher capacity in areas of concern. These roles include autism advisors and behaviour advisors, who are assigned across regional support teams to provide advice, support and resources to schools.
The NCSE offers bespoke in-school support for either whole school staff, small groups, or individual teachers. The support can be tailored to specific TPL needs within a school, such as, in the areas of differentiation, planning, autism and behaviour.
Also, Oide is currently supporting the implementation of new and revised curricula at both primary and post primary. The professional learning frameworks developed by Oide to support these new curricula are underpinned by Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and place the learner at the centre of the learning experience. The move towards learning outcomes based curricula support teachers to plan for all learners through adaptable and flexible provision, which accommodates the learner’s voice and choice. Oide recognises that students are diverse and through the provision of a range of supports they invite teachers to examine and alter teaching and learning approaches that meet the needs of all learners.
All professional learning experiences provided by Oide, support teachers in planning for all students in their classrooms.
Oide works closely with colleagues in the NCSE to ensure it can support schools in planning for inclusive education. Oide provide bespoke onsite school-based support which allows teachers and school leaders to respond directly to the needs of learners in their own unique context.
I am committed to ensuring that all teachers, at primary and post-primary level, have the skills they need to support the diverse needs of all our children and young people in our schools. It is critical that our teachers are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to continue to deliver high quality and inclusive education.
In addition, my department will continue to work with partners in education to provide a comprehensive range of in-service TPL opportunities that allows those working at all levels of education, to access supports which will benefit all learners.
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