Hildegarde Naughton
Galway West · Fine Gael · Ireland
“It is an absolute commitment in the programme for Government to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio over the lifetime of the Government. The Deputy will appreciate I cannot announce anything here in the Dáil. I have to go into negotiations in relation to the upcoming budget.”
“Where we can, we give guidance and I know schools are very well aware of this. They do this well themselves so that where possible, the more junior classes would have a lower class size.”
“The identification model has to be applied consistently right across the country to have fairness and transparency around it. Under the DEIS strategy to 2035, work is under way in my Department, with colleagues in the Central Statistics Office and across other Departments, to utilise other administrative data sources to help improve how w…”
“The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application under the additional school accommodation, ASA, scheme for an additional temporary classroom in 2025. This school had previously been approved for a permanent extension under the ASA scheme in 2021 for a two-classroom special education needs unit and one mainstream classroom.”
“A huge amount of work is being done on securing specialist places, be it in special classes or special schools. We are far ahead of where we were this time last year. We had a budget for 400 special classes. I got increased funding in March of this year. We are ahead in relation to forward planning.”
“The general average of pupils to teachers in the primary staffing schedule improved from 26:1 five years ago to 23:1 for the current school year. Average class sizes in primary schools have improved from 24.1 to 22.2 through the investment we are making in schools.”
The complete record
Every one of 767 lines we hold for Hildegarde Naughton, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 16.
“My Department has also engaged with the National Parents Council on the development of the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill. I met with the National Parents Council in March of this year. In addition, both the parents council and individual parents may raise concerns directly with me and my Department regarding the curriculum, educational resources and other education matters. This direct engagement helps ensure that parental views inform policy development and decision-making at national level.”
“The National Parents Council is also a key stakeholder of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, and its advisory structures, ensuring that parents’ perspectives inform curriculum development and related resources across early childhood, primary and post-primary education. In addition, the NCCA facilitates parental participation through surveys, written submissions, consultation events and focus groups. It represents parents on a wide range of Department-led groups, including those relating to special education, senior cycle redevelopment, DEIS, anti-bullying procedures, student and parent supports and disability participation and consultation. The NPC is also on the convention on education, ensuring that parents’ views are reflected in national discussions on the future direction of education in this country.”
“The National Parents Council, NPC, is the representative body for parents of children in primary and post-primary education. It serves as an important channel of communication between parents and my Department. Annual funding is provided to support its work, including €765,782 in 2025. The National Parents Council represents parents’ views on education policy, curriculum reform and educational resources, ensuring that parental perspectives are reflected in policy development, implementation and decision-making. The NPC is on the primary and post-primary education forums, which support the planning and sequencing of change across the school sector.”
“The appeals board considers the circumstances of the school in deciding if a teaching post is warranted a year ahead of the normal staffing arrangements. The appeals board held meetings in May and June and it will meet again in October. Schools will be notified of the closing date for applications to appeals boards in early September but I take the Deputy's overall point in regard to the pupil-teacher ratio.”
“There is a number of issues here, such as the staffing appeals criteria. The numbers going into primary schools are reducing and our population bulge is in post-primary. That is a reality of the way trends are going. There is a staffing appeals circular, set out in Circular 0025/2026, and it includes specific appeals for small-school enrolments in the previous October, involving projected enrolments, accommodation difficulties and where there may be language support. The primary staffing appeals board operates independently of myself and the Department. Mainstream appeals posts are allocated provisionally on the basis of the school achieving the required appointment and retention figures in the coming September rather than the previous September.”
“This is an increase of over 9,000 teachers at primary level in ten years. I understand the importance of ensuring that every child gets access to their special education teacher and all of the supports required. That is obviously ongoing work with me and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, in the context of this upcoming budget. I hope to put in place more measures to support our schools right across the education sector.”
“It is an absolute commitment in the programme for Government to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio over the lifetime of the Government. The Deputy will appreciate I cannot announce anything here in the Dáil. I have to go into negotiations in relation to the upcoming budget. In the past ten years there has been a five-point improvement to the primary staffing schedule. In 2015, teachers were allocated to primary schools at a general average of 28 pupils for every one teacher. This is now reduced to 23:1. Lower thresholds are in place for DEIS urban band 1. That includes DEIS plus schools. We have 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively. A three-point reduction in retention thresholds assists schools in retaining existing staff. As the Deputy knows, there are over 43,000 teachers employed in our primary schools.”
“This builds on substantial progress already made. The primary staffing schedule has improved from an average allocation ratio of 26:1, five years ago, to 23:1 for the current school year, which is the lowest ever at primary level. Average class sizes have fallen from 24.1 to 22.2 pupils, while the overall pupil-teacher ratio improved from 15:1 in 2019-2020 to 12.8:1 in 2023-2024, which is comparing favourably with the OECD average levels.”
“Funding has been provided for 860 additional special education teachers across special schools and mainstream settings, together with more than 1,700 additional special needs assistants. Budget 2026 also includes an additional €48 million full-year investment across both the DEIS strategy and the DEIS plus scheme. That provides more teaching positions and more staffing and supports for schools as well. That DEIS programme will benefit approximately 30,000 children and young people attending DEIS plus schools as well as one in four children across schools in the DES programme. Under the programme for Government, there is a commitment to reduce the general primary pupil-teacher ratio to 19:1 over the lifetime of the Government and to introduce targeted measures for schools with very large class sizes.”
“This Government is committed to improving staffing levels in primary schools and supporting the recruitment and retention of teachers. According to the latest published data from November 2025, there were more than 97% of allocated primary teaching posts filled. Teacher numbers at primary level have increased by almost 6,000 since 2019 and now stand at the highest level ever recorded at over 43,400. The Government is investing a record €14.1 billion in education and schools through budget 2026. This record level of investment has enabled significant progress in tackling educational disadvantage and supporting children and young people with special educational needs to achieve their full potential.”
“For example, in response to some of the calls from the sector, a bursary initiative was established in June to support eligible youth workers and youth work managers to undertake the three-year MA qualification in community and youth work, part-time, in-service programme in Maynooth University. Also, the workforce advisory group will regularly update the nation youth sector reference group, which is also currently being established. That group will include representatives from across the youth sector, including academics and youth representatives, and will support a balanced and transparent input from across the wider sector.”
“It is very fitting that youth has moved into the Department of education. It is a good fit. I have met with many youth organisations across the country since I was appointed and they seem very happy with the formal education and the informal education. I have witnessed the huge expertise on the ground. This is the data we want to collect and there is a willingness there and an appetite for training as well. As the Deputy knows very well, it is so important we have the right skill set in our youth services across the country, dealing with children and young people and with trauma, and making sure we have the best, which we do, and that workers are accessing the training they require.”
“The workforce data will also accompany the strategy in the publication. So, it will be published. While the subject of the pay and conditions of the sector has been raised through consultations, they will not directly form part of the strategy. As the Deputy knows, youth workers are not employed by my Department. They are not public servants and funding is allocated on the provision of service spaces to meet the needs of the youth population in an area. The employment of the staff, including youth workers, is a matter relevant for youth organisations and services.”
“I thank Deputy Farrelly. I would be very happy to receive that information. It would help our data collection and make sure we are getting a really good picture of the youth work sector across the country. The work that has been under way within the Department is to try to get that profile, to really understand our youth work sector and to get feedback from them. The first advisory group will have its first meeting in September and the terms of reference of that group will be finalised once the group is established. My Department is working in consultation with the National Youth Council of Ireland to agree the role of that group. The workforce survey data will be shared with the workforce advisory group in the first instance to inform its work in overseeing the development of the strategy.”
“It is important to highlight that this is the first time this information has been sought and received from the youth work sector and that will establish critical baseline information for us for the development of the strategy. To support the development of the workforce development strategy, a workforce advisory group will be established. My Department is working in partnership with the National Youth Council of Ireland to agree the role of this group, including its membership. It is intended for the advisory group to have its first meeting in September.”
“These were followed by 11 regional, in person and online consultations. The data captured from the consultation period will inform the development of the strategy. Important data from the consultation include: the high level of job satisfaction in the sector; learning and development opportunities; the challenging recruitment and retention environment; the varying youth worker pay scales; different contract types; and details on average and median youth worker pay. Profile data on youth workers was also captured, including their qualifications, length of employment, age range, gender and ethnicity. It is important to highlight that this is the first time this information has been sought and received from the youth work sector.”
“As Minister for Education and Youth I am committed to supporting the workforce in the youth sector to deliver high-quality youth work and non-formal developmental opportunities for young people. Action 7 in Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028, commits to developing a workforce development strategy in respect of the youth sector. This is to include consideration of training needs and the requirement for high-quality, accessible and inclusive youth work services and opportunities. The Department has engaged extensively with youth workers and managers in youth organisations and is aware of the recruitment and retention challenges being experienced in the sector. This engagement included completion of a workforce survey and employer questionnaire.”
“As I have said, about 25% or approximately 240,000 children and young people have special educational needs and the majority of them are supported in mainstream settings but the focus and priority will be on children who do not have a place and are coming into the primary school system or moving from primary to post-primary, for example.”
“A huge amount of work is being done on securing specialist places, be it in special classes or special schools. We are far ahead of where we were this time last year. We had a budget for 400 special classes. I got increased funding in March of this year. We are ahead in relation to forward planning. There are now 584 special classes allocated. This is far more than any previous years because of the parent notify system, on 1 October. I brought that forward again this year. This enabled the Department to forward plan even better for when I go into budget negotiations for September 2027. A huge amount of work is happening with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and me. There is sufficient overall capacity to meet identified demand. There is a pathway for children to receive a specialist place or supports within mainstream settings.”
“There is weekly engagement with the NCSE. Since January, 584 special classes have been sanctioned for the upcoming school year. That includes 68 inclusive classes. Of the 584 new special classes, 378 are being established in primary schools and 206 in post-primary schools. This brings the total number of special classes sanctioned to date to over 4,300. The NCSE continues to work with families and schools on this. As we know, there may be more children throughout the year who will need specialist placements. The NCSE is working proactively with them in relation to that.”
“NCSE data shows that approximately 75% of those who came forward by 1 October are already enrolled in school. As in previous years, students without a school place are prioritised for access to specialist placements. My Department receives regular updates on placements and the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, meets the NCSE every week. I have regular engagement with the NCSE and the Minister of State met its representatives as recently as yesterday to monitor progress.”
“The National Council for Special Education has verified that some 7,860 children and young people who were notified to them by 1 October 2025 are eligible for a specialist place for the 2026-27 school year. The NCSE continues to work with families where children have come forward since then, to secure appropriate placements. NCSE data indicates there is sufficient overall capacity to meet identified demand. However, the Department recognises that places may not always arise in a preferred school or locality. The NCSE is actively engaging with these families to identify suitable placements. Approximately 7,000 of the 7,860 students have a diagnosis of autism and, given there are generally adequate places for students with other diagnoses, the focus is on new places for children with autism.”
“I thank the Deputy for his comments and I too wish everyone well over the next couple of weeks. An estimated 25% of students, or approximately 240,000 children and young people, have special educational needs. While the majority are supported successfully in mainstream settings by their class teacher, special education teachers, SET, and special needs assistants, SNA, as necessary, there remains an increasing need for special class and special school places for children with more complex needs. The parents notify process has played a key role in forward planning, supporting the delivery of 584 new special classes, the establishment of four new special schools for the coming 2026-27 school year and expanded capacity in existing special schools.”
“The Government is supporting families through free school books, the expansion of hot school meals, increased capitation funding, continued investment in school transport, the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance, the strengthened guidance on school uniforms and digital devices. School costs should never stand in the way of a child taking part fully in school life. No family should feel that their child is at a disadvantage because of the cost of uniforms, transport, digital devices or other school-related expenses. That is why we will continue to work with schools, parents, students and education partners to reduce costs to support inclusion and to ensure that every child can participate fully and confidently in education.”
“We have also taken major steps to support schools with their running costs. In budget 2026, my Department secured €39 million to increase capitation funding, giving schools greater flexibility to cover running costs. This includes an increase of €50 per pupil in primary schools, €20 per student in post-primary schools and additional support for DEIS and special schools. Over the past three budgets, capitation funding has increased by nearly 50% at primary level and 28.5 % at post-primary level, which is a very substantial uplift. I again thank all the Deputies for bringing this motion forward. The concerns raised today are real and reflect the pressures that many families experience at the start of the school year and they are concerns I also share. The Government's approach is practical and focused on easing pressure on families.”
“The scheme has been extended this year to include children aged two and three and now covers eligible children between the ages of two and 17, and 18 and 22 if returning to second-level education. A central tenet of our education policy is that schools need to always engage openly with parents and students - to listen as well as to inform them. That is the principle at the heart of the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill, which is progressing through the Oireachtas and is expected to go to Committee Stage before the end of this year. When enacted, this legislation will require every school to consult with parents and students on key policies and activities. It will set clear expectations for communication, transparency and respect between schools, parents and students.”
“Since 2018, the number of children and young people using the service had grown from 117,800 pupils in 2018 to over 180,000 pupils in 2025, which equates to an increase of close to 54%. It is worth highlighting that for the coming school year, a primary school ticket will cost 55 cent per school day, a post-primary ticket will cost approximately 60 cent per school day, and the maximum daily cost to a family will be no more than €1.32, regardless of the number of children per family who use the service. To help cover the cost of clothing, as of this month, the Department of Social Protection issued back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance payments totalling €47.8 million to over 123,000 families in respect of over 229,000 children.”
“We are also commencing work to promote uniform swap shops across primary schools, helping families save money while supporting sustainability. Since September 2025, all students in the free education scheme, almost one million children and young people, have benefited from free school books and core classroom resources. This represents an investment of €160 million and the full delivery of the programme for Government commitment to provide free school books for every child. We are also maintaining our commitment to affordable, accessible school transport. The school transport scheme, which Bus Éireann operates on behalf of my Department, has expanded significantly in recent years.”
“I will turn first to school uniforms because this is an area where practical measures can make a meaningful difference for families. School uniform policy has traditionally been a matter for each school’s board of management, reflecting local needs and traditions. However, Circular 32/2017 makes clear that schools should take practical steps to reduce costs for families, including using generic items where possible, avoiding unnecessary exclusive supplier arrangements, using sew-on or iron-on crests and consulting with parents. We recognise that more can be done. That is why a working group, including the National Parents Council and education partners, is reviewing the circular to strengthen and update the guidance.”
“That is why the Government has taken a balanced approach that involves clear guidance, significant investment in school ICT infrastructure and flexibility for schools to respond to the needs of their own communities. My objective is straightforward - every student should have access to the benefits of digital learning regardless of his or her family's financial circumstances. Technology should support better educational outcomes and greater opportunities for learners while remaining accessible, affordable and inclusive for all. While digital devices are a particular and growing concern, I fully recognise that the cost pressures on families go much wider. Deputies have also raised issues relating to school uniforms, transport fees, voluntary contributions, capitation funding and the back-to-school clothing and footwear allowance.”
“I share the fundamental objective behind those calls and I strongly believe that no child should be placed at a disadvantage in his or her education because he or she does not have access to a digital device. At the same time, we must recognise the way our school system operates. Under the Education Act 1998, schools and boards of management have responsibility for decisions at local level while operating within national policy. That balance is important. It allows schools to respond to their own circumstances, their own students and their own educational priorities, but it also means that decisions about digital devices should be grounded in pedagogy, informed by engagement with parents and students and mindful of affordability for families.”
“Rather, their effective use depends on deliberate, pedagogically informed decisions about how and when technology is used to support specific learning objectives. This emphasises the importance of schools taking a planned and evidence-based approach to the use of digital technologies. To support this, the Department issued guidance to schools last May on the use of digital devices and the cost considerations for students and parents. The guidance asked schools to place affordability, equity and value for money at the centre of their decision-making and before introducing any expectation that families purchase devices to consider whether students' needs can be met through shared devices or school-managed loan schemes funded through the existing ICT supports. I am aware that Deputies have called for further measures.”
“In particular, I asked schools to engage with all parents and not just their parents' associations before making a decision on the use of digital devices. I also asked schools to ensure that no student was disadvantaged because of their circumstances. While digital technologies can support teaching, learning and assessment, the way in which they are used should be guided by the educational needs of each school. That is reflected in the requirement for every school to have a digital learning plan that sets out a clear vision for digital learning. We know from the research commissioned by the Department and published by the OECD in 2025 that access to digital technologies alone does not guarantee improved learning outcomes.”
“As our schools continue to embrace the opportunities of digital learning, we must ensure that access to technology remains fair and inclusive for all families. I am very conscious that parents can feel under pressure when some schools seek the use of digital devices for learning. That is why, on 25 May, I wrote directly to all schools and made it very clear that there was no requirement for students to have their own personal devices for school. I encouraged schools to consider how existing ICT supports and funding could be used to meet students' needs before any expectation was placed on parents to purchase devices. I asked schools to carefully consider the financial impact of any digital device arrangements on families.”
“I welcome the opportunity to respond to this motion. I recognise and share the genuine concern felt by many families at the beginning of the new school year, which can bring real and often significant financial pressure. I have listened to parents who have described the financial pressures they face when a number of education-related costs arise at the same time. That is why the Government has made affordability a central focus of education policy. The concerns reflected in this motion are ones that I have heard directly from parents and it is important that we continue to help families to meet these costs in a practical, evidence-based and sustainable way. While digital technology can greatly enhance teaching and learning, no family should be placed under financial strain because of an expectation that they purchase a device.”
“It reminds us how far we have come and of the responsibility we share to protect that progress and to extend it further. Together we can ensure that Ireland remains a country that is safe, fair and inclusive for all and one in which every person can be themselves without fear.”
“The cineáltas initiative provides a comprehensive framework for preventing and tackling bullying in schools. This includes bullying related to both gender identity and sexual orientation. The bí cineálta procedures take a child-centred partnership approach. These procedures bring together students, teachers, staff and parents to create school communities that actively prevent and address all forms of bullying. We also continue to work closely with organisations such as Belong To, supporting initiatives like Stand Up Awareness Week. This empowers schools to foster respect and inclusion. This partnership reflects our commitment to building an education system and a society where every young person feels valued and supported. Pride is not only a celebration; it is a call to action.”
“Our schools are guided by a whole-school approach that prioritises respect, belonging and inclusion for every student. This is regardless of their background, beliefs, their sexual orientation or gender identity. Well-being sits at the heart of this approach because we know that when young people feel safe and supported, they are better able to thrive both academically and personally. However, we must also be clear eyed about the challenges that remain. Some LGBTQI+ young people still experience discrimination, bullying and isolation, both in person and online. There can be no complacency. We must remain vigilant in protecting that progress that has been achieved and in challenging any efforts to roll back hard-won rights. Throughout my Department, we are taking concrete steps to address these issues.”
“Ireland has made remarkable progress in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTQI+ people. Pride offers us a valuable moment to reflect on that journey, to celebrate the diversity, inclusion and joy that define it and to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community. I want to acknowledge those who campaigned for equality at a time when doing so required great courage. The freedoms we recognise today were hard won and Pride is both the celebration of that progress and a reminder that our work is not yet complete. We must ensure everyone in our society can live openly, safely and with dignity, especially our children and our young people, who deserve to grow up in environments that are supportive, inclusive and free from fear.”
“I move: That Dáil Éireann approves the following Regulations in draft: Data Protection Act 2018 (Section 60(6)) and (Section 51(3)) (Commission of Investigation into the Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools) Regulations 2026; a copy of which was laid in draft before Dáil Éireann on the 16th June, 2026.”
“While a special education tuition room does not reflect the full scale of additional and ancillary accommodation sought by the school authority, my Department considers this is the most important aspect to be prioritised at this time. However, my Department will continue to engage with the school authority on the matter, and I can come back to the Deputy on that.”
“Okay. I can come back to the Deputy with further information. I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for accommodation under the additional school accommodation scheme for the school referred to by the Deputy. The application relates to the replacement of a prefab which is used as a special education tuition room and ancillary accommodation. The Department's assessment of this application needs to reflect the fact this is a two-teacher school, with a current enrolment of 20 pupils. While the school has two classrooms, it has very limited ancillary accommodation and my Department previously indicated to the school authority that it is prepared to approve a small special education tuition room for the school.”
“Priority and weighting was given to schools in areas where there was a high level of unemployment, a high level of Roma or Traveller children within those schools, and students with lone parents were part of that as well. We have to make sure that we are looking at nationally available data and at the HP deprivation index. We also work with the Central Statistics Office, CSO, in making sure that we are refining the data that is coming to us, specifically in relation to schools across the country, and the enrolment data that schools are providing.”
“The commitment in the programme for Government was for the DEIS plus strategy aimed at those areas of most severe educational disadvantage. That is why I set up a pilot specifically for schools that are not in DEIS, understanding the needs that are out there. I will be looking at that into the future to see what more we can do and what more supports we can provide for schools across the country. With regard to the data, this is nationally available data that is applied right across the country, and also the enrolment data coming from our schools from the primary online database, POD and the post-primary online database system, P-POD, from our post-primary schools.”
“That was the purpose of the DEIS plus strategy, but I hear what the Deputy is saying about Roxboro and other schools across the country that are not DEIS schools but have children and young people who are at risk of educational disadvantage within them. That is why I set up that pilot scheme specifically for schools like Roxboro National School in Ballinrobe, to give them access to a home school liaison position. We will be looking at the DEIS plus strategy and how it is being rolled out. I would like to make it more flexible.”
“The DEIS plus strategy was a commitment in the programme for Government, the aim of which is to target areas across the country where there are really high risks of educational disadvantage. The evidence from international assessments on literacy and numeracy finds that Ireland performs very highly compared to other OECD countries or EU averages. However, the assessments also find that there are gaps remaining in relation to outcomes for children from areas of high deprivation. That was reinforced by the 2024 review of resourcing schools to address educational disadvantage in Ireland, which recommended higher levels of support for a small cohort of schools supporting the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage.”
“That is why, under the DEIS strategy to 2035, which is my Department’s long-term vision to address educational disadvantage in all schools, I announced a pilot scheme to extend home school community liaison, HSCL, provision to schools outside of the DEIS programme that have significant cohorts of children that are at risk of educational disadvantage or who are from new communities. Roxboro National School in Ballinrobe is one of 130 schools that will be supported under this scheme. Any future allocation of resources to address educational disadvantage in schools will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS strategy out to 2035 and in the context of available resources.”
“The DEIS identification process is based on the HP deprivation index assigned to the area where individual students reside, and on Traveller and Roma ethnicity. It is important to stress that although a school is not included in DEIS or DEIS plus, this does not in any way imply that my Department is saying that disadvantage does not exist within that school community. I absolutely recognise the important role that schools like Roxboro National School in Ballinrobe, and the staff therein, play in supporting children who reside in international protection accommodation, for example.”
“I thank the Deputy for her question. Ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister and for my Department. The DEIS programme and the new DEIS plus scheme, which will begin this year as part of the DEIS strategy to 2035, are key initiatives in my Department’s approach to addressing educational disadvantage. Schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS and DEIS plus programmes using refined, rules-based approaches built on nationally available pupil-level administrative data that was applied consistently across all schools in the country. The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school.”
“These include teaching and learning spaces for the classes, education supports and sensory spaces, adequate meeting and office spaces, a staff room, a communal area and access to a safe outdoor space for the students. The school moved into those premises in December of 2025. I will ask departmental officials to engage directly with the Deputy on his last question.”