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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“This includes engagement with local representatives, doctors and consultants. I know she was due to meet some of them last night. She remains committed to positively engaging with everyone who is interested in delivering the best healthcare for the people of Donegal. Turning to Letterkenny University Hospital in particular, the Government is committed to the ongoing development of the hospital and has allocated significant resources to meet the needs of patients there. This has included an increase in the hospital's budget by 57% over the last five years. In that time we have also seen staffing grow by 25% and 28 new beds have been opened. Recent capital projects completed at Letterkenny University Hospital include an extension to the laboratory and works in the acute mental health unit.”
“Building on the success of the Reeves day surgery unit in Tallaght, the Minister for Health opened a new surgical unit in Mount Carmel in south Dublin in February and we expect the rest to become operational over the next 18 months. The Minister is clear that no matter where these new facilities are located, everyone should have access to sufficient and appropriate elective surgical capacity. The hubs, along with the new elective treatment centres, will form a national network of elective care. This will enable the delivery of care for all patients, not just those living in a particular location or catchment area. No decision has yet been made on the location of the north-west surgical hub and the Minister is taking time to consider and understand the situation in Donegal.”
“I thank Deputies Doherty and Mac Lochlainn for raising this issue. I understand the apology made by our colleague, Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher. I recognise the Deputies' dedication to the people of Donegal and to the issue. I will first address the issue of locations for the surgical hubs. The programme for Government commits to establishing six new hubs, in south Dublin, north Dublin, Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford, and exploring the provision of an additional surgical hub for the north west. The programme for Government also committed to developing new elective treatment centres in Cork, Galway and Dublin, significantly increasing our capacity to deliver elective care and driving down waiting times for everyone. Developments at the named surgical hub sites are well under way.”
“I compliment all the schools that have taken on the summer programme, which has provided places for over 56,000 children this year. That is welcome. There are other issues and if I had the time I could talk for another hour and a half on this and I probably would not get beyond the tip of the iceberg. All I will say is that the senior Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I are extremely committed to the project. We welcome the report. It is a blueprint for how we will go forward. We will be judged on how we implement the report. We intend to bring that forward as early as possible this year.”
“As I said, there are specific times for families with additional needs, first when they go to pre-school, then to primary school and post-primary school and then beyond education. We will have to make sure that systems and policies are in place, backed up with resources. The Government, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I are hugely committed to special education. We have had numerous meetings. We meet on a weekly basis on school places and on making sure we have appropriate places for children into the next school year. We are desperately committed on it. This is the whole-of-government and a huge amount of time has been spent in the last while to make sure we have the best possible system. There are a number of other issues. On the summer programme, this is going on in some schools this week or next week.”
“One concerns the legislative changes we need. That will take some time to ensure we deliver them properly. The other issue is policy change. Many policies are being looked at in terms of how we will have the most inclusive education system. We pride ourselves on education. Ireland Inc. has always supported education, and we have always supported education. We are endeavouring to ensure that we have the best possible education system. The review of the common application pilot is under way. Many have spoken, including some Members today, of families having to apply for multiple schools for their child. We want to make sure that we have that in place and that it is something that will alleviate the burden for families.”
“A disability section has been set up in the Department of the Taoiseach while the Cabinet committee on disability meets regularly and has been one of the committees that has met most often since the formation of the Government to develop policy. We are bringing therapists into special schools starting in September 2025. It will involve occupational therapists and speech and language therapists. We must ensure we look at other therapists as well such as those involved in music therapy and behavioural therapists. They are hugely important. There have been a number of Private Members' motions and statements on special education. I know all Members are sincere about the issues they raised. We have a long way to go and we have travelled a long way with regard to special education. The report underlines two issues.”
“To assist with further development of inclusive education and anticipating a report in the NCSE policy advice, the Department's special education section applied for funding in 2022 to the EU, which manages the EU's Technical Support Instruments programme. This programme will enable member states to apply for support in managing large-scale system reforms. The application was successful and €500,000 has been sanctioned in consultation support to assist in shaping the Department's response to policy advice. A number of issues were raised regarding how families and students are engaging with the challenges that are there.”
“The Department has begun on the first SNA workforce development plan with a scheduled completion date of September 2025. Work on this project is nearing completion and will be a welcome step forward with regard to the role of the SNA in our education system. Inclusive Education Ireland is engaging with Technical Support Instruments, a European Commission programme that will provide a pathway towards inclusive education. In its response, the NCSE's policy advice, the Department has recognised that the advice is consistent with Ireland's obligation under the UNCRPD. The Department has also identified a number of existing and planned initiatives that provide a pathway to inclusion.”
“While the work of SNAs is greatly valued by students, parents and teaching staff, as evidenced by the EPSEN survey and focus group response, the role has not been consistently understood or interpreted. The role of SNA was developed over 20 or 25 years ago. SNAs have become an integral and valued part of our education system. When public representatives from across the House visit special classes or schools, they see the work being done by SNAs in collaboration with all the other stakeholders in the education system. To that end, the SNA workforce development unit was established in December 2022 within the Department. It brings a strategic approach to special needs assistant policy development with the objective of developing an enhanced SNA service that delivers the best care to students with significant care needs in our schools.”
“This vision had ambition and was forward thinking and rooted in the principle that every child regardless of his or her ability had a right to a quality education and an inclusive setting where possible. The overall vision has not changed. The review and the contributions of Members today make clear that our system has not fully delivered on this. There are clear steps that can be taken to address this. Some of the welcome policy recommendations are already in progress and work is under way to publish the implementation plan for the remaining recommendations before year end. I am giving an undertaking that we will work with stakeholders to ensure we have an implementation plan for the report.”
“The report gives us an opportunity to reflect, reassess and realign. It is not just a policy check point but is a reminder of the distance we have travelled over the past 20 years or so and the distance we must go to ensure we meet the needs that are out there. I was Chair of the Oireachtas education committee 20 years ago when the EPSEN Act was going through. At that time, people spoke about mainstreaming and policies we now accept are the norm. We must ensure the policies we are going to bring in will strengthen special education and ensure unmet need is met across communities. We have listened to the lived experience of all stakeholders, particularly children and young people in reaching the recommendations. More than two decades ago, the EPSEN Act outlined a clear vision.”
“I thank all the Members for their contributions. The report was published last week and is before the House this week, which shows the urgency with which the Government treats the issue of special education. The one thing I am always encouraged by is the depth of knowledge of Members of the House about special education and the challenges being faced by families and I compliment them on that. I urge them to continue that because there is a sense of urgency and genuineness across all parties and none. There was a sense of urgency and genuineness in the contributions - not in a confrontational way but in a way that asked Government to ensure there is action. I have taken note of some of the issues and I will follow up as best I can because I believe this is one of the major issues facing us and we will be judged on how we address it.”
“My colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I will continue to work with all Members in the House to ensure we can bring change and develop more inclusive education of which we can be rightly proud.”
“Implementation of these actions requires ongoing consultation and collaboration across all of Government. I look forward to working with all partners to make meaningful progress on improving the education of our children and young people. We are determined to ensure the review leads to real and lasting change for children and young people with additional needs. I thank the thousands of individual students, parents, school teams and advocates who gave their honest contributions on the lived experience of special education. They have made this report possible. I welcome the discussion in the Dáil this afternoon. It is clear that there is great will, politically and at departmental level, to ensure we advance education for people with additional needs.”
“The report contains a number of recommendations on the rights of the child. We need to ensure that we strengthen the legal rights of the child in the education system in a way that provides for more inclusive education as well as ensuring consistency in how we support children with additional needs. The review and the supporting reports outline the reasons for all the recommendations, and this evidence has been informed by vast consultation. As we welcome the review and salute those involved in it, its implementation is how we will be measured. Some recommendations can be processed quickly. Others, particularly those requiring legislative change, will take more time. I assure the House that the political will is there and the Department's commitment on this is absolute.”
“This will build upon the work already under way by the National Educational Psychological Service on the continuation of support models used in schools to support all children. The report recommends that enhanced workforce training and education, focusing on inclusion, should be adopted. This is an overall recommendation that will be adopted at all levels of the education workforce. It is very important that we acknowledge the large amount of work done by teams throughout school communities, whether in mainstream schools, special classes or special schools. The amount of work done by school leadership, teachers and SNAs is highly regarded by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and myself. It is very important work and we salute them for the great work they are doing throughout the education system.”
“Improving transition would allow for a more streamlined process from the time a child starts his or her education journey to the end of that pathway. This will be assisted by the forward planning steps the Department has taken and will continue to develop. The early years education system we now have in place did not exist to the same extent when the EPSEN Act was originally drafted. The review recommends that work be undertaken on providing a legal right of access to preschool for all children. The report recommends that the term "student support plans" should be used in place of the original "individual education plan" and that this should be legislated for. Support will be put in place to develop an infrastructure for effective student support file management and student support plan implementation.”
“The review also recommended that the Disability Act 2005, with particular reference to the assessment of need review, be reviewed in the interests of promoting timely and effective assessments of need and intervention processes. This is a priority for my colleagues in the Department of Children, Disability and Equality and we will work with them to achieve this. Improving transition between early years, primary school and post-primary education pathways is a vital component in improving education for children with additional needs. For a child born with additional needs, there will be a number of key flashpoints with difficulties and challenges when he or she goes to preschool, primary school, post-primary school and then on to post-education settings.”
“While the preferred method may be one inclusive education Act, other options may be considered. Work on this recommendation can run alongside policy recommendations. The review process overall showed that feedback recommended one single underlying legislative basis to ensure that inclusion was at the very heart of our State and any new laws we implemented. Mediation or alternative methods for the resolution of concerns relating to education is a recommendation I hope will be of great assistance to parents. Mediation, or a method similar to it, is an alternative step that, once established, would allow parents to have a pathway to seek assistance with matters without having to incur excessive time delays or feel they have to take a legal route to access reports. This is something we are keen on developing over time.”
“The findings of the review have resulted in a set of recommendations that fall into two key areas, namely, legislative-based recommendations and policy-based recommendations. Publishing the report, which the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I were delighted to launch last week, is only one step, though. The development of an implementation plan before the end of this year is key to delivering on these recommendations. I propose to discuss the recommendations in the report in more detail. Across the consultation, a high level of consistency and consensus has emerged. Key areas identified for improvement include an inclusive education Act. The introduction of one inclusive Act for all children in respect of education would provide for a legal basis and framework for inclusive education.”
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all stakeholder groups, including students, parent and guardian representatives, advocacy groups, academic experts, State agencies and Departments. I also deeply appreciate the engagement of students, parents and educational professionals and the wider public, whose contributions have shaped what we know as the EPSEN Act review. Findings from our consultation process demonstrate that many participants share many common experiences with the special education sector and seek similar actions and improvements. We have gained invaluable insight into key areas such as technology, terminology, transition, lived experience and potential enhancements to support these structures.”
“The latter two categories are exceptionally important options, in particular for children with complex additional needs and their families. As evidenced, work continues to be done to ensure the consistent high standards in the provision of special classes and schools. We also need to ensure closer co-operation between mainstream and special schools and classes. This will continue to assist in enhancing education outcomes for children and contribute to a more integrated and inclusive education system for children and school communities. As the House will note following this extensive review, the steps proposed outline a pathway towards a more integrated and inclusive education system for all.”
“One of the strongest messages to emerge was that we must build on lived experience to create effective, responsive and enforceable policies and laws. The objective we all share is a more inclusive education system, one that enables every student to thrive and feel he or she belongs. This means action on support services, curriculum design, resource allocation, the role of the SNA and school infrastructure, among others. As in all other countries, though perhaps known by different names, there is always a place for the provision of special classes and schools. As articulated by the many stakeholders, there is support for the current continuum of education provision, which includes mainstream classes, special classes and special schools.”
“The 2004 Act has been in place for over 20 years, during which time significant policy developments have taken place in the field of special education. The review has been shaped by a commitment to open collaboration, with steering groups, working groups and advisory groups overseeing the process. Consultation with a broad range of stakeholders has been central to this effort, ensuring diverse voices and perspectives are heard. One of the defining features of the review has been the meaningful participation of children and young people. Focus groups and tailored surveys were specifically designed to allow students to share their experience in a comfortable and accessible way. This approach ensured that the voices of the students, in particular those with complex needs, shaped the direction of the review from the very outset.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on the review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act. I thank my colleague, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, for her opening statement. I wish to thank those who conducted the review and Members of the House for the opportunity to discuss the review. The review represents the most comprehensive national reflection to date on how we can support children and young people with additional needs in our education system. I want to acknowledge the significant effort by all involved in this process, in particular the thousands of individuals, including school workers, parents, representative groups and, most important of all, children and young people, for their huge contribution in providing us with their lived experience and the views that have culminated in the report.”
“That work is going on apace. They will first go into special schools and then into special classes. They will be a great enabler for the teams in those schools, but more importantly, for the students. We have a great deal of work to do. We have brought forward the dates for next year in order to create certainty for families and build a system in which families who have children with additional needs have confidence in the system and do not have to take to the streets to challenge it. There is a fight for everything. That is some of the anecdotal evidence we have from across the world. It is not only in Ireland. I am committed to working with the Minister. We work extremely closely to try to make sure we have a system that is fit for purpose”
“In the time I have, it is important to say the experience we have and the disability issues we have learned about are going to lead us to putting actions in place to make sure people with additional needs can say the Irish education system really did them proud, whatever role they had. International studies show that for people with additional needs, one of the great things is nature. Some of the stuff we have lost over the years, such as sensory gardens, are being put in again, as are therapies such as equine therapies. Many second level schools have school dogs at the gate. That is all going back to what people did maybe centuries ago in the context of embracing nature in education. We will have to do that to make sure we get the best for our students. In recent months, we have been working on the new therapy services to which I refer.”
“We have to ensure we are bringing everybody with us within the education system. It is the great enabler for getting people out of poverty traps and the endless cycle of poverty. We are going to have to ensure that we have a fit-for-purpose system for the most vulnerable, whether they come from very disadvantaged backgrounds or require a challenging amount of care. Sometimes, we fall short of that. The figures show we are doing very well. The OECD figures or any comparative studies will say the Irish education system is good, but we have to look at those we are not serving because if we do that right, we will have an even better system into the future. I have certainly put huge energy into my role in the past number of months. I chaired the disability committee during the previous Dáil and Senators O’Loughlin and Tully were members.”
“Regarding the many challenges we have in society, such as antisocial behaviour, which has been discussed here and in the Lower House in recent days, the education system is crucial. Many of our predecessors in the Houses understood that the way out of poverty was to ensure we had a proper education system, and that they did. Donogh O’Malley was mentioned. In the decades before, that the vocational education system was rolled out and one Minister opened 129 schools in one year in the early 1950s. I was in Scotland recently looking at its education system, particularly the special education system. While it has a great system, the cabinet secretary for education said that she would not start with what she was doing if she were us, given the challenges Scotland faced and the system we had been developing for years.”
“We will be measured on how good a safety net we have under them. Senator Keogan spoke about foster care, which is something I will reflect on. We will look at it and make sure we are doing right by children who are going into foster care because life is challenging enough for them. I will certainly look at that. We were given information yesterday about a student who was outside the school system and had escaped the system of the State at seven and a half or eight years of age. We all think there are excellent checks and balances in the system, and by and large there are. There is a fantastic inspectorate within the Department and there is the NCSE. However, there are always some challenges and we are going to have to ensure our education system is bringing everybody together.”
“I believe there will be 18 places in that last school to start off. These are huge initiatives. They need an awful lot of support from the NCSE, the Department and ourselves because they are taking on a very important role in society. All those who are working right across the education system are fantastic, but the staff in special schools are superhuman because of the need they are meeting. A number of issues relating to foster care were raised. Even yesterday, we had a meeting with a principal who raised a number of issues with me concerning one or two children. We can take fierce pride in the education system that has developed in Ireland over the past century and the amount of progress we have made, especially over the past 50 or 60 years, but there are students who are outside it and who fall through the cracks.”
“We also need to break down barriers between the Departments of Children, Disability and Equality and Social Protection to ensure information is sent. We have all heard the dreaded words, when we are making representations or dealing with some issues, about GDPR and the silos within government. We have to break down the silos within government so the whole of government understands quite clearly the need out there in society. We will have over 400 extra special classes throughout the country this year. We will have five additional special schools. They are in Belmayne and Lucan in Dublin, what will be known as the Carraig na bhFear school will initially start at a site in Fermoy this year before moving to Carraig na bhFear later, another will be in Nenagh in County Tipperary and another will be in Castleblayney in County Monaghan.”
“It is important that we look at the assistant therapist's role and how it will be rolled into the system. Any of us who are close to the education system know quite well that some of the special needs assistants working in it are skilled way beyond what they have on paper. We need to look at ways of ensuring they are brought further into the system. Over the past five years, the capacity for special education has doubled and the National Council for Special Education has got many more teams on the ground. This year, we have 120 special needs assistants. They are embedded into the system. As the years go by, we will be able to get better outcomes and more certainty for families. It was last September that those 120 SNAs were put into the system. We should be able to get better information.”
“A large volume of work has been done by the Department of education, the NCSE and everybody else to ensure we can roll it out. Getting therapists back into special schools will be transformative for children, but it will also give great support to the teams working in the special schools because they will learn from the therapists. We have a lot of work to do across government, not just in the Department of education, but also in the Department of further education, to ensure there are more therapists coming on stream and that we have extra college places in September. There is a role within the education system for assistant therapists. We all know that some of the practitioners in the education system, especially on the special education side of it, are almost therapists themselves at this stage.”
“I think of the special needs assistants who have done amazing work and been the foundation of special education over the past 20 or 25 years. We have gone from having no special needs assistants in the education system to having 23,000. They have embraced their job. When one meets them in schools, they talk about the commitment they have and their love for the children they are looking after. One can clearly see that. We are embarking on providing therapists to special schools and special classes again. We will be rolling that out from September of this year. A decision was taken by the Government on Tuesday, I understand, and a number of discussions took place in the Cabinet subcommittee on disability in February.”
“School leaders who are embracing special classes and additional supports for children are quite amazing. We have a lot of work to do on the special classes in primary schools. The primary school education system has really embraced special education. We now face the challenge of ensuring we have places for those children as they transition from primary to post-primary education. Senator Curley mentioned his town of Loughrea. We have challenges in every part of the country with that because some students will be able to get through primary school but the transition from primary to post-primary will be difficult, so there needs to be a great deal of work, and a great deal of understanding around children's needs, to ensure they are accommodated throughout the length and breadth of the country.”
“This was chosen in the hope we will have school places for children with additional needs and certainty for their families prior to Christmas. That is the least we can do for vulnerable children with additional needs, and we welcome the decision to do that. In recent months, I have travelled the length and breadth of the country. I have visited special schools, special classes and mainstream classes. I discovered the amazing work that is being done by teachers, SNAs and the wider school leadership. Breifne College was mentioned. I visited it as it was closing two or three weeks ago. I am really taken by the serious commitment on the part of school leadership to deliver an education system that is inclusive and has the child's benefit at heart.”
“I welcome the opportunity to be here for statements on education. In recent months, I have worked extremely closely with the Minister to deal with the many challenges we have faced in terms of special education and school places. We have worked with the NCSE and the Department during that time to ensure we will have a place for every student come 1 September. There are some challenges still ahead, but we are very committed to making sure we have the places for them. During the current school year, parents were asked to make contact with the NCSE on or before 1 February if they wanted additional support for their children. We moved that back by four months. The cut-off date is 1 October for the 2026 school year.”
“On the issues raised by the INTO yesterday, I did hear the commentary on the radio this morning. We are listening very carefully to all of the issues at school level. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, and I have been visiting schools around the country. We are getting information at every level on it. We will be working to ensure we do the right thing by schools and the school communities.”
“On the therapists within the schools, that is being rolled out from September into the special schools. The plan is for the special schools in the first instance and then on to the special classes. They will be great enablers to provide the best possible outcomes for children with additional needs throughout the education system. An awful lot of work has gone into it over the last while. I compliment the Minister, Deputy McEntee, as well as the previous Minister on their commitment and the work they have done over the last while. It is something we are very focused on. We want to make sure that it happens in a meaningful way and that it strengthens the education system going forward. This is a very important piece of work for the Government and for the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and myself to ensure it is done.”
“The Government has made a decision and a memo was taken to the Government this week in respect of therapies within the schools. That is an ongoing discussion which has taken place over the last while at the Cabinet subcommittee on disability. They will be rolled out to the special schools this year. We have a lot of work done on that and an awful lot more that we will be doing over the next while.”
“There are a couple of things there. We understand the challenges that are ahead of us in terms of post-primary education because of the information we have at primary level. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, and myself are acutely aware of it and are working extremely hard on it. One of the things we agreed very early on was to bring back the date from 1 February to 1 October to give better planning. I take the Deputy's point. We had some challenges in respect of primary school because the NCSE or the Department had not been notified of children with additional needs. We are going to plan that better. On the Deputy's own county of Louth, I think we have facilitated everybody who was requiring a place in Louth this year. An awful lot of great work has been done by the NCSE, the Department and the SENOs, and of course the school communities.”
“Where these schools do not move to commence admissions processes, the NCSE will use the statutory powers under section 67 of the Education Act 1998 to direct schools to enrol children. My Department recently wrote to all schools outlining the need for all schools to review their admissions policies to ensure these policies are in keeping with best practice and are facilitating those children who most need access to a special class placement. Schools should also ensure they are working closely with the NCSE to support the children known to the NCSE by mid-February 2025. An appeal mechanism is available to schools in respect of appealing a decision that was made on the number of teachers in the school. I am not sure whether that process has been followed. The other thing I would say is that the Deputy might forward me the details.”
“In respect of special classes and the huge issue of provision, the Government is totally committed to the provision of special classes and special needs places to allow children to grow to their full potential. Almost 400 special classes have been sanctioned for this year. Of these, 287 are at primary level and 112 are at post-primary level. In April of this year, the Department wrote to all schools opening new special classes requesting them to begin admissions processes without delay. The NCSE is engaging closely with schools and patron bodies to ensure that schools offer places to children seeking them as quickly as possible. The vast majority of schools opening new special classes have opened for admissions. The NCSE is engaging with a number of schools in Dublin to ensure the admission process is initiated as quickly as possible.”
“I take the point. I also met with the INTO yesterday in regard to its pre-budget submissions. It outlined the challenges in respect of SENCOs. The provision of special education has developed extraordinarily throughout the country over recent years. We have to pay tribute to school leadership and the school communities, be they teachers, SNAs or the other support people who make that possible. We have to look at how we are going to make it more inclusive and what better way we can structure the system to improve it. The Deputy's suggestion is certainly something that we will look at.”
“The NCSE manages the allocation of SNAs to schools and it is the responsibility of the NCSE to ensure that these resources are allocated to the children with the greatest level of need.”
“I am very much aware of the central role that SNAs play in the successful inclusion of students with additional needs and significant care needs in schools. Looking back over the past 20 years at SNAs and the work they do, we should always compliment them because they really have made our education system more inclusive. They help to ensure that these students can access an education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential. The number of SNAs available for allocation has continued to increase annually, resulting in a significant increase in the number of SNA posts employed by schools. Budget 2025 provided for 1,600 SNAs, the largest number ever allocated, which brings to over 23,000 the number of SNAs in our schools.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. The Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential, and the programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, has responsibility for co-ordinating and advising on education provision for children with special educational needs, including the allocation of special needs assistants. The NCSE contacted all schools on 6 June to advise them of any changes to the SNA allocations for the coming school year, 2025-26. In regard to Gurteen National School, I am pleased to confirm that the NCSE has advised me it has allocated one additional SNA to the school for the next school year, 2025-26.”
“I will come back to the Deputy on it in writing. The documentation submitted in March, as I understand it, is quite a detailed document and involves a lot of work to make sure it is properly gone through. I give the Deputy a commitment that we will work to make sure it goes through the Department as speedily as possible, and we will come back to her in writing.”