Michael Moynihan
Cork North-West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I cannot emphasise enough the respect that the Minister, Deputy Naughton, and I have for special needs assistants and the contribution they make to education. In March, we met the SNAs to have further engagement and consultation with them and to understand their roles.”
“We are very conscious of the issue. A huge number of groups that I have met over the past while, particularly on the dyslexia side, have all been discussing assistive technologies. That is also the case for children who are non-communicative and non-verbal. Assistive technologies are extremely important for them.”
“By way of background, 85% of the applications processed for assistive technology between January and June have been approved. We are always conscious of those who fall outside the scheme.”
“The approximate cost to the State per mainstream pupil is currently €1,400 annually, while the cost to the family is €100 per pupil. The total cost of the school transport system in 2025 was €537 million, equating to almost €3 million being spent on the provision of school transport per day.”
“I thank the Deputy. We are looking at ways to ensure that if there is a ticket issued, it will be used. Anecdotally, the Deputy and other colleagues tell us about school routes the length and breadth of the country that have spare capacity but, when we look at the system, all of the tickets on that particular school route are occupied and…”
“Under the current scheme, schools receive funding towards computers and specialised equipment required for educational purposes. To qualify, a student must have a diagnosis of a physical or commutative disability and a professional assessment confirming the equipment is essential to access the curriculum.”
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“Additional resources, namely one teacher and 17 SNAs, supplementing the standard allocation, have been provided to the school. This is a significant increase in additional resources. The NCSE is providing advice and guidance to the school on how best to deploy staff to support the needs of the children. The Department and the NCSE also provide ongoing training opportunities to schools, particularly special schools, in order that their staff have the skills and competencies required for the level of complexity in the school environment. I am pleased to say that in the recent budget over 860 additional special education teacher posts have been secured and over 1,700 special needs assistants, SNAs, have been provided. This will mean we will have over 46,500 teachers and SNAs working in our education system.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. The Department of education and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, are aware of the recent issues raised by the school to which Deputy O’Sullivan referred. I can confirm that the Department and the NCSE have met and are in ongoing contact with the management of the school to ensure the needs of all students continue to be met. As Deputy O’Sullivan knows, when a special class in a special school is established, there is an automatic allocation of one teacher and two special needs assistants per class of six students. However, the standard allocation can be increased on the basis of the profile and needs of the students enrolled. St. Gabriel’s Special School currently has an enrolment of 54 students and a standard allocation of nine teachers and 18 SNAs.”
“For that reason, I am asking the House to decline to give this Bill a Second Reading, but I do so while affirming my Department’s total commitment to tackling back to school costs and supporting families in every community in Ireland.”
“I believe the path we are on, through sustainable investment, ongoing collaboration and legislative reform, is the right one. While I cannot accept the Bill, I want to be clear that my Department is working hard to deliver on the Bill’s core intent in a way that is coherent, system wide and enduring. Our aim is simply that no family in Ireland should ever struggle to meet the costs of sending their child to school. The review of Circular 0032/2017, the enactment of the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill and our measures to provide free schoolbooks, increased capitation for schools and ongoing investment in school transport all form part of a coherent, evidence-based strategy to make education genuinely affordable for all.”
“The allowance supports eligible families with the cost of school uniforms and footwear ahead of the upcoming school year. It provides €160 per child aged between four to 11 and €285 per child aged 12 years and over in second level education. Eligibility for the back to school clothing and footwear allowance was extended in 2025 to include foster care families. The total budget allocated to the scheme for 2025 amounted to €54.4 million. This is a Government that acts on the evidence, in partnership with the education community, students, parents and education partners. I thank Deputy O’Rourke and Sinn Féin for raising and keeping this issue to the fore. Their concerns reflect the concerns of families right across the country and I share those concerns deeply. We are working with schools, parents and students, not around them.”
“Deputies will be aware that there have been many discussions on school transport here, at the committee on education and in the Upper House. We are committed to ensuring a further expansion of services in the years to come. In budget 2026, there is an extra €69 million to meet demand, especially for students with additional needs, and to offset rising operational costs. The Department of Social Protection issues a back to school clothing and footwear allowance. Payments totalling €47.5 million to over 126,000 families in respect of over 221,000 children were issued in July 2025. These payments were issued automatically to eligible families who are in receipt of certain social welfare payments. Families who do not receive the payment automatically can apply directly to the Department of Social Protection.”
“The number of children and young people using the service has grown from under 120,000 pupils in 2018 to over 178,000 pupils in 2025, which equates to an increase of close to 50%. Of those 178,000 pupils, over 100,000 mainstream pupils who are eligible for transport are facilitated, as well as more than 49,000 pupils who are receiving concessionary tickets. In addition, in excess of 23,000 pupils are travelling on dedicated school transport services for children with additional needs and more than 5,500 pupils from Ukraine are also facilitated on these services. Investment in the school transport scheme has more than doubled from €200 million in 2018 to €512 million in 2024. This investment is extremely welcome as the scheme and associated costs continue to grow.”
“In budget 2026, the Department of education secured €39 million to increase capitation funding, giving schools greater flexibility to cover running costs and reducing reliance on parental contributions. This includes an increase of €50 per pupil in primary school and €20 per pupil in post-primary school. There are additional supports for DEIS and special schools as well. Over the past three budgets, capitation funding has increased by nearly 50% at primary level and 28% at post-primary level. This is a significant uplift in capitation funding. We also maintain our commitment to affordable and accessible school transport. The school transport scheme, which Bus Éireann operates on behalf of the Department of education, has expanded significantly over the past six years.”
“This is why the Government’s strategy is comprehensively tackling the full range of expenses that come with schooling. This year marks an historical milestone in Irish education policy. From September 2025, all students in the free education scheme, consisting of almost 1 million students and young people, will receive free books and core classroom resources. This represents an investment of over €170 million and a full delivery of the programme for Government commitment to provide free school books for every child. Schools will manage the provision directly, ensuring resources are used effectively and sustainably. This is one of the most significant steps taken to remove cost barriers in the Irish education system. In the context of capitation funding, we have also taken major steps to support schools with their running costs.”
“That is the principle at the heart of the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill, which is progressing through the Oireachtas and expected to go to Committee Stage before the end of this year. When enacted, this legislation will require every school to consult parents and students on key policy issues and activities. It also sets clear expectations with regard to communications, transparency and respect between schools, parents and students. It will ensure that families are genuine partners in decisions about their children’s education, including how schools manage costs. This is a collaborative approach rooted in trust and responsibility which will achieve far more than issuing a set of prescriptive guidelines. In respect of broader Government measures to reduce costs, uniforms are one part of the cost burden families face.”
“These measures aim to make a real difference but we recognise that more can be done. That is why a working group, including representatives from the National Parents Council and education partners, is reviewing Circular 0032/2017 to strengthen and update it. The group will engage directly with parents, children and young people to ensure the voices of those most affected are heard. We are also commencing work to promote uniform swap shops across primary schools, helping families to save money while contributing to our wider sustainability goals. This is in line with our commitment in the programme for Government. The central piece of our education policy is that the school always needs to engage openly with parents and students to listen as well as to inform them.”
“As colleagues will know, school uniform policy has traditionally been a matter for each board of management, reflecting local needs and traditions. However, since the publication of Circular 0032/2017, the Department of education has made clear that schools should take steps to ensure uniforms are affordable and accessible to all families. The circular sets out clear and practical guidelines for schools: uniform items should be generic and available from a range of retailers, not tied to just one supplier; iron-on or sewn-on crests should be used instead of embroidered ones; parents should receive a full list of required items and their likely costs at the best-value stores; exclusive supply arrangements must be subject to regular tendering; and schools should consult parents on how best to reduce costs.”
“I thank Sinn Féin, including Deputy O’Rourke, for introducing this Bill. The Deputy’s motivation is clear and sincere and shows genuine concern for families facing the very real costs that come with the new school year. I share that concern. I am aware that for many parents, the start of the new school year can be financially stressful, with new uniform and transport costs arriving all at once. This is why the Government has made affordability a central focus of our education policy. However, I cannot accept this particular Bill today. This decision is not about rejecting its intent; it is about recognising that we are already taking significant, evidence-based steps to achieve the same goals in a more comprehensive and sustainable way.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: Dáil Éireann: notes that the Government: — recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families; — is committed to ensuring that schools will adopt measures to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs in line with Programme for Government Commitments; and — has commenced work to review Circular 32/2017 which sets out the measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the costs of school uniforms and other costs as noted in Education Plan 2025, and this includes: — the establishment of a working group, which includes representatives from the National Parents Council and from the education partners; — planned engagement with parents as well as with children and young people to obtain their views; and — work to promote uniform swap shops in all primary schools, thereby making uniforms more affordable and supporting sustainability, as committed to in the Programme for Government; recognises that while decisions on school uniforms are a matter for individual schools and Boards of Management, Circular 32/2017 already sets out the principles of cost-effective practice to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of returning to school, including: — schools are advised that they should select school uniform items which are generic and can be purchased from a range of retailers; — only 'iron on' or 'sew on' crests should be used; — schools should provide parents with a list of all required items and indicate the likely costs of these required items at best value stores; — where an exclusive supply arrangement applies, it should be tendered for regularly; and — schools should also consult with parents as to their views on how to reduce costs; further recognises that the Government has introduced a number of measures to alleviate the costs associated for schools including: — €170 million allocated to provide free schoolbooks for some 940,000 children and young people enrolled in schools in the Free Education Scheme, from the start of the 25/26 school year; — €39 million secured in Budget 2026 towards increased capitation funding for primary, post-primary and special schools to provide additional financial support towards their running costs; — over €69 million of additional funding allocated to school transport services as part of Budget 2026, and this is to provide for the additional demand for pupils with special educational needs on school transport services and increased bus contractor running costs; and — additional funding of €58 million allocated under cost-of-living measures to the School Transport Scheme, to allow for continued reduced transport fees in 2025; further notes that the Government is progressing the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill, which will strengthen engagement between schools, parents and students, including on issues such as school costs and uniform policies; and accordingly declines to give the Education (Affordable School Uniforms) Bill 2025 a second reading.”
“The practitioners at school level, school leadership level, schoolteachers and SNAs do amazing work to help us to build a better special education system and have better outcomes for those children into adulthood. I will continue to update the House. There were more debates than ever about special education in the last term and again this time. That is right and proper because children and families need to have certainty on it. I will continue to work across government to make that a reality.”
“In the minute or so that remains, I assure the Deputies and this House that I take the role I have in special education extremely seriously. I know the challenges that are being faced by students and their families. I know they are contacting TDs and looking for help and direction. Both the National Council for Special Education and the Department of education, in our weekly meetings, are acutely aware of the needs that exist and we are working hard. We found the 1 February deadline very time-constrained, which had to be pushed back because of Storm Éowyn earlier in the year, to make decisions about where classes are going and to have buildings in place. I accept the point completely. I know that the Deputy is thinking about the students. I see great work going on around the country.”
“This continues the acceleration of delivery of special education places to ensure sufficient capacity is provided each year and that children and young people have an appropriate place. Both I and the Minister, Deputy Helen McEntee, will continue to monitor the progress being made on confirming new special classes and special school provision earlier through our weekly meetings with the NCSE and senior officials in the Department. I will be happy to update the House on this work over the coming weeks and months. I recognise the progress that is being made on confirming new special education provision earlier and piloting the new common application system. Coupled with the concerns relating to the proposed legislation, as I articulated earlier, I ask the House to support the Government's position on this legislation.”
“Parents responded in significant numbers and the NCSE is now working to collate the overall number of children and young people seeking special classes or special school places for September 2026. The new parent notification process allows the NCSE and Department to work with schools to confirm the new special classes and special school provision earlier. The aim is to have a majority of these new special classes confirmed by the end of the calendar year 2025. The NCSE has confirmed that over 800 vacancies remain in special classes in primary school and post-primary school across the country at the start of the 2025-26 school year. Budget 2026 provides funding for teachers and SNAs to support the provision of another 3,000 classes and special school places next year.”
“In 2024, the Department of education and the national council introduced a range of new measures to support forward planning for special classes and special school planning. The key element of this was the introduction of a requirement for parents of children and young people seeking a special class or school place to notify the NCSE. This measure ensured that the NCSE had a clearer picture of the local demand for special classes and special school places. Parents of children and young students seeking a special class or a special school place for the 2025-26 school year were asked to notify the NCSE by 1 February. For the 2026-27 school year, this timeline for parents to notify the NCSE was brought forward several months to 1 October 2025.”
“I listened to both Deputies. I acknowledge the complete sincerity of the work Deputy Ó Murchú is doing. Others must judge my character but I would like to think that I am open. I do not have a monopoly on wisdom but I have a monopoly on experience and want to make sure that we are doing the best we can. I will outline a number of things we are doing. I outlined the Government's concern about the proposed legislation. I also outlined some work that has been done. In the closing statement, I want to provide a short update for the House on the ongoing work by both the Department of education and the NCSE in relation to forward planning for special education provision for the 2026-27 school year and beyond. The legislation does not take into account progress being made on forward planning for special education.”
“In conclusion, I hope I have given the House some insights in terms of some of the concerns in relation to the proposed legislation, as currently drafted, and how we are working to provide a new common application system on schools admission which will address some of the concerns being raised by families of children and young people who may have to apply to multiple schools at present. I would also like to stress that I am very open to considering practical solutions to help to ensure that we are providing more streamlined application processes and alleviating pressures on parents, particularly when it comes to special education. However, these solutions must not complicate matters for their families, but be in keeping with best practice and consider recent initiatives already delivered in this space.”
“These new teams and structures are in place now for over a year, and we must continue to see the positive impact this is having for families and schools at local level in terms of support and guidance. Both the senior Minister, Deputy Helen McEntee, and I continue to meet the National Council for Special Education and senior officials in the Department of Education each week in relation to special education provision. This is something that we started back in February after both of us were appointed to the Department, and we continue to monitor the development of the National Council for Special Education and its growing supports for families and schools.”
“It is important that we build on these pilot initiatives and roll out a national common application system as soon as possible. This would have a very significant positive impact for families of children and young people with special educational needs. On the National Council for Special Education and local supports for families, while we wait for a national common application system, it is important that we continue to support and provide guidance to families at local level. The National Council for Special Education has expanded and restructured, and it is now providing support and services on a county basis. The number of special education organisers has almost doubled, to 120 nationwide, since the beginning of the last school year.”
“The programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a nationwide common application system for schools admission, which has the potential to be a game-changer for students and their families. A new pilot single application for admission to post-primary schools, including admission to post-primary special classes, is currently being rolled out by my Department. The new pilot has been introduced across five areas, namely, Athenry, Celbridge, Clonakilty, Greystones and Tullamore. In addition, the common application trial for admissions to special classes among some primary schools in the Dublin 15 area continues to be supported by the National Council for Special Education and is being continued for a second year.”
“Will these families have to apply and wait two years to make this move rather than possibly doing so in the next school year, as the current legislation allows for? Significant work on this proposal would be required, including significant consultation with schools and parents, before such a proposal could be considered again. I am not clear that the proposed legislation actually deals with more significant issues raised by families of children and young people with additional needs. In addition to the need to have earlier clarity around special education provision, the main issue raised by parents of children and young people seeking a special class or special school place is the requirement to make a number of applications for admission to schools.”
“The Bill could also have a direct impact on the families of children and young people with additional needs moving into an area, in particular families renting who have not had the opportunity to apply for admission up to two years in advance. A family who are renting may move into an area and find they are simply too late to apply for school place. The Bill also impacts the families of children and young people with additional needs who receive a diagnosis or professional recommendation within two years of seeking a school place, in particular young people entering primary school. It is also unclear how the legislation might deal with families of children and young people with special needs who may seek to move from mainstream to special classes or from special classes to special schools.”
“It is difficult to see how places could be allocated to children with special educational needs prior to others who would be in the same class, as other applicants would still be bound by the 1 October deadline in the year prior to the school intake. In order to ensure fairness, decisions on all applications would need to be made at the same time. It is difficult to see how any benefit could accrue to families or schools on this basis. While the Bill provides for the families of children and young people with special educational needs to apply for admission up to two years in advance, it is silent in terms of the timelines for schools actually making decisions on admissions. Therefore, it is not clear that the Bill achieves its key aim of families having earlier clarity on what school their child will attend.”
“Given this lack of clarity and further details in the proposed legislative changes, I and the Government have a number of concerns about the proposed legislation. The Bill does not seek to define the term "special educational needs" and, therefore, it is read to refer to all children with special educational needs enrolled in schools. Previous estimates have suggested up to 25% of students in primary and post-primary schools have special educational needs. It is not clear, then, how the legislation might cater for admissions to mainstream classes made up of children and young people with special educational needs and other children and young people.”
“Since 2020, this has become a well-known national date on which schools can start undertaking the admissions process for the following September. This timeline provides for consistency across the entire school system. I understand the purpose of the proposed legislation is to allow for the families of children with additional needs to make applications for school places two years before the child would ordinarily be attending the new school. The Bill seeks to achieve this by amending section 63(4) of the admissions Act by introducing a new provision to enable schools to commence accepting applications for admission for children with additional needs entering mainstream on a different date to the application for mainstream school. The Bill does not go into much further detail beyond this point.”
“These were hugely reforming and progressive items of legislation at the time. In 2018, legislation banned historic school waiting lists, thus ensuring parents who moved to an area or who rent are not disadvantaged. Schools can decide how to run their admissions policies and processes as long as they do not begin accepting applications for admission for the school year concerned before 1 October of the previous year. The advantage of having a clear starting date is that parents know with certainty that schools will not start accepting applications before this key date, but once the date arrives they are alert to the possibility of schools in which they are interested in commencing their admissions policies. The earliest date is set as 1 October for schools to start their admissions policies.”
“In my opening statement, I will outline the current legislative provisions in terms of admissions to schools, our concerns in relation to the proposed legislation, as it is worded, and some important work that is being progressed on the new common application system for school admissions. In my closing statement, I might provide a general update on the work of the Department and the NCSE on the forward planning of the new special classes and special schools provision for the next school year, 2026-27, and beyond. Deputies may recall the significant amount of engagement and work that went into the reform of the school admissions system in this country a few short years ago. The legal position in regard to admissions to schools is clearly set out in the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 and related regulations.”
“Since taking up my position as Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion, a number of measures have been introduced to alleviate the stress and uncertainty many families and advocacy groups have relayed to me in my role as Minister of State, my time as Chairperson of the Joint Committee on Disability Matters and my time as a public representative. However, having studied the proposed legislative changes and considered the new measures being proposed and processed by my Department and the NCSE in regard to these issues, I wish to inform the House that the Government will arrange to table a reasonable amendment to the Bill. I ask the House to support our view that the Bill should not get a Second Stage reading.”
“I welcome the opportunity to address the Dáil on the proposed legislation. I accept, totally and absolutely, the sincerity of Deputy Ó Murchú and the Opposition who are proposing this new legislative provision. I have worked with them across the House over the past number of years. I look forward to co-operation because we do not all have monopolies on wisdom on any issues that arise. I am open to any proposals that come to me, but unfortunately I cannot, on this occasion, accept the Bill. I will outline a few reasons. I understand and support the desire of Sinn Féin for us to do more to support the families of children and young people with additional needs to access appropriate school places in a timely manner. I know how important it is for families to secure appropriate school places for their children.”
“I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute with the following: "Dáil Éireann declines to give the Education (Amendment) Bill 2024 a second reading consequent on Dáil Éireann's passage of the following motion on 16th October, 2025: notes that: — a child's right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and, under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, must be accessible on an equal basis with others in the community in which they live; and — the Government is committed to ensuring that each child with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their Constitutional right and Programme for Government commitments; notes that the Government will: — progress work on the development of a more inclusive education system for children with special education needs by supporting them to attend their local school; — continue to expand the number of special school places, special classes and special education teaching hours as required across the state; — improve communication and outreach to parents of children with special educational needs to streamline the process by which parents apply for specialist school places, reducing the burden on them and improving the timelines, including the introduction of a common application procedure; — continue to increase investment into the area of special education to ensure that every child can reach their full potential; — ensure that available capacity across schools is maximised to make provision for children with special education needs; and — prioritise school building projects delivering additional capacity for special classes and at special schools; further notes: — the continued significant state investment of €2.9 billion this year for supporting the provision of special education, a 48 per cent increase since 2020; — the total allocation in Budget 2026 to provide over €3 billion in funding for special education next year, including the provision of up to 3,000 new special class and special school places, over 1,700 new special needs assistants and 860 new special education teachers; — 97 per cent of all children and young people enrolled in schools, including the majority of children and young people with special educational needs, are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers; — the strategic initiatives introduced to provide for the continued accelerated delivery of special class places in mainstream schools and special school places with the number of special classes having doubled over the last five years and 16 new special schools being established; — over 3,700 special classes have been made available across the country for the 2025/26 school year ensuring that children can continue to access a special class in their local area avoiding the need for long distance travel; — the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) confirm that over 800 vacant places remain in special classes in primary and post-primary schools across the country at the start of this school year 2025/2026; — Budget 2026 provides funding for teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to support the provision of another 3,000 special class and special school places, this continues the accelerated delivery of special education places to ensure sufficient capacity is provided each year and children and young people have an appropriate place; and — the commitment to prioritise investment in special education and school places as part of €7.55 billion in National Development Plan capital funding for 2026-2030; further notes: — that this proposed legislation dates from 2024 and does not have regard to the progress being made by the Department of Education and Youth and the NCSE in introducing new measures to support forward planning for the 2026/27 school year which brings forward the date of notification and will see the majority of new special classes sanctioned by 31st December, 2025 thereby providing earlier clarity for families; — the streamlining of funding to ensure schools can access funding for repurposing accommodation; — the significant investment in the expansion of staffing at the NCSE to assist families of children with special educational needs in all aspects of their educational journey, including accessing a placement appropriate to their needs; — the significant level of funding and supports being provided to schools to deliver accommodation for special classes including school building projects, the repurposing of available rooms, and the provision of modular accommodation; — the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce a nationwide common application system for school admissions, which has the potential to be a game-changer for students and parents; — the progress which has been made in introducing a common application system, including a new pilot single application for admission to post-primary schools, including admission to post-primary special classes, being rolled out by the Department this year across five areas; — the enactment of the Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018 which banned historical waiting lists, thus ensuring parents who move to a new area, or parents who rent, are not disadvantaged; — that this legislation could have a significant and negative impact on a number of groups, and that this has not been properly considered; — the impact that this proposed legislation may have on families of children and young people with special educational needs moving into an area within two years of seeking a school place, in particular families that are renting; — the impact that this proposed legislation may have on families of children and young people with special educational needs who receive a diagnosis and professional recommendation within two years of seeking a school place, in particular young children entering primary school; — the lack of a definition of special educational needs in the proposed legislation and the uncertainty if the legislation applies to all of the estimated 25 per cent of students with a special educational need who may be seeking a mainstream, special class or special schools; — while the proposed legislation allows for children and young people with special educational needs to apply for admission up to two years in advance, it is silent in terms of the actual timelines for schools making decision on admission and therefore it is not clear that the legislation will achieve its aim of providing earlier clarity for parents; — that significant further work on this proposal would be required, including significant consultation with schools and parents, before such a proposal could be considered again; — the Government have published a review of the EPSEN Act 2004, which comprised of over 28,000 responses to online surveys, including 900 responses from children and young people to an innovative easy access survey, and participation in focus groups by 91 adults and 94 students and young people from mainstream, special and Irish medium schools, as well as adults who had left school; — that an implementation plan is being developed and will be published before the end of the year, with changes to existing legislation, policy, and practice under consideration; and — declines to give the Bill a second stage reading for the reasons stated.".”
“The Department and the NCSE are engaging very closely with St. Gabriel's and with the school in Carrigaline. I am in contact with parents who have contacted me. I will continue to be in contact with both schools and both teams to ensure we have proper resolution of any issues there.”
“Over the decades some of the special schools were developed basically by community organisations and community groups of volunteers that set up and started off in their communities. We are duty bound. We have to ensure that we have the arm of the State, which is the ETBs, working with the Department of education and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, to develop special schools across the country. I do take the point in relation to resourcing them because there is a particular skill set. I would classify those who work in the special schools and special classes as superhuman beings, be they teachers, leadership or SNAs. We have to support them in a very meaningful way and we have to understand the challenges that are being faced. The Deputy mentioned two schools at the very outset. I reassure him that we are engaging.”
“The budget for special education is over €3 billion this year. The Deputy will recall that following the budget last week, we will hire over 1,700 additional SNAs and over 860 teachers in special schools and special classes. The first thing I would like to say is that the work being done by the teachers and the teams working in special schools or special classes helping children with additional needs throughout the country is absolutely phenomenal. Phenomenal work is being done by the SNAs. All of the people and the teams willing to work in the special schools or special classes are top of the range and we have to make sure we support them in every way. The Deputy raised an issue in relation to the ETBs versus the State. It is the duty of the State to open and run special schools throughout the country.”
“The education therapy service, ETS, is being developed and is a priority for Government. Recruitment will starting in phases but we must also ensure we are training enough therapists to put them back into special schools. That will equip the special schools with the human resources to provide the best possible service, help and support to students and the teams that work in special schools. We are committed to that.”
“ETBs throughout the country are taking on special schools and we must compliment them on the work they do. We also need to support them in a very meaningful way. When delivering schools at post-primary or primary level or at further education level, ETBs will have directors and it is important that we have one contact within the ETBs who is the director of the special schools. Cork ETB has taken on a number of schools and is constructing another school in Carrignavar on the site of the previous school so a lot of work is ongoing. We have to make sure we have the proper resources to support them and the teams that run the special schools. The Government took the decision earlier in April or May of this year to put therapists back into special schools. That work is ongoing.”
“It is important that we understand the challenges within school communities and that if they exist, they are communicated to the NCSE and the Department before any decisions are taken relating to school hours. There are ongoing discussions with the ETB, the Department and the NCSE regarding Carrigaline Community Special School. I am well aware of the issues in the public domain. I do not want to comment publicly on them. I want to make sure we find resolutions for both schools. We met with the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education last Friday at its annual conference and I met many of its teams. I have visited many of the schools around the country and know acutely the work that is happening and the challenges they face.”
“Last Thursday, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan contacted me about St. Gabriel's Special School and the information it had given to parents. It is a very challenging and distressing situation. On Friday morning, the Department and the National Council for Special Education made contact with the school and a very extensive meeting was held in the afternoon. Thankfully, the position taken by the management and board on Thursday night was reversed and the full school opened on Monday morning. I thank all those who work in special schools for their enormous commitment to special education. The NCSE and the Department are continuing to work with St. Gabriel's Special School on any issues it has and to provide the best possible supports.”
“When we look at the draft of the documentation I have been given, it is frustrating to see that because of some technical issues on the planning side of it. I give a commitment that we will do everything that can be done to move this project on. I will report back to the Deputies with an update.”
“The design team has finalised the tender documentation. The review of the documentation is in the Department. The commitment I will give is we will make sure it is not delayed within it. There was a commitment given for 1 September. We are now heading for the end of October. That is six weeks of a delay. Every week and day is a delay. I accept people's frustration. As public representatives in the community, the Deputies have articulated it clearly and demonstrated unity this morning on the issue. I will give a commitment to move what has to be done in the Department speedily through the process and make sure this project is completed. I understand the frustration of parents and the community that something that was promised over 25 years ago has not been delivered. It is needed.”
“The Department promotes and supports Irish-medium school provision, including Gaelcholáistí and Gaelscoileanna. There are 248 Gaelscoileanna and 50 Gaelcholáistí throughout the country. Between 2020 and 2024, capital expenditure of over €400 million was invested in Irish-medium schools, demonstrating the Department’s commitment to the Irish-medium school sector.”
“The design team has finalised the pre-tender checks and documents in line with revised technical guidance documentation from the Department and a report was recently submitted to the Department for review. This review is being undertaken in the context of the Department’s national development plan allocation and the finalisation of the NDP implementation plan. The design team has finalised the tender documents in line with revised technical guidance documentation from the Department. I am informed by the senior Minister that she expects the review of the project by Department officials to be completed shortly, which will allow the tender to take place. This large-scale capital project remains a priority for delivery and departmental officials remain engaged throughout with the patron, Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB.”
“Planning permission was due to expire in December 2022 and it was anticipated that an application to extend the duration could be submitted. However, due to changes in the Planning and Development Act 2000, there was no longer provision to apply for an extension and a new application would be required. Authorisation was given in June 2022 to progress the new planning application. The new application was submitted in March 2023 with additional supporting documentation requested by Dublin City Council over and above what had been supplied with the original application. Our Department previously advised a new grant of planning was received in December 2023 with a number of conditions attached. As a result, decarbonisation measures were included in a revised project scope, in line with climate action objectives.”
“What is the old Irish seanfhocal - "Ní neart go cur le chéile"? I worked with the Deputies on Belmayne Educate Together and it is encouraging to see all Deputies from the area coming together. It sends a powerful signal to their communities, to us and to the Department about the seriousness of it. I commend the Deputies on that. I thank them for raising the issue. We are fully committed to delivering a new school building for Gaelcholáiste Reachrann. This large-scale capital project involves the provision of a new 600-pupil school and ancillary accommodation. The project was originally authorised to proceed to tender upon completion of the prequalification questionnaire shortlisting process in September 2022.”
“I accept the frustration in relation to this project, which has been ongoing and which is hugely important for the community. I reassure the Deputy that the Department is engaging to find an interim solution first, but the long-term solution is to make sure this project is completed. That is the aim and the goal of both the Department and the school authorities. They will work together to try to make sure a resolution is found and the building can commence as soon as possible. There is huge work. All Departments take their responsibility very seriously. Issues arose and the commitment I will give the Deputy is that we will ensure that the engagement will continue between the school authorities and the Department to try to find a resolution as quickly as possible.”
“The Department sets out to make sure building projects are moved forward. Issues have arisen with this project. The Department, the Minister and ourselves take very seriously the obligations we have in relation to public funding. We are very committed. My understanding clearly is that the Department officials are in contact with the school authorities on a regular basis. I accept the frustration----”
“The Department was informed that the school has provided information to parents recently in relation to these next steps for the school. Some small-scale refurbishment works at the building will provide a good interim accommodation solution for the school and include teaching and learning spaces for all of the classes, education support and sensory spaces, adequate meeting and office spaces, a staff room, a communal area and access to a safe outdoor space for the students. It is anticipated the works will be completed next month, following which the school will move into the new premises. Finally, let me assure the Deputy that the Minister and the Department are fully committed to delivering a school building for this school as soon as possible.”