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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“On behalf of the Government and the Minister for justice, in particular, I thank the Deputy for bringing forward this motion and the considered debate we have had in relation to these issues. One of the most important aspects of the family justice system is to ensure we have a system that is as child-focused as possible. We must also make sure that this is the case for all children, whatever abilities and challenges they may have, and mention was made by other Deputies of those who are non-verbal. It is important in this context to make sure that we understand the family law courts and the challenges there, and that in any and all changes made to the regulations we ensure that the voice of the child is a hugely important component of the decisions being made.”
“Phase 1, beginning in January 2027, will see the rollout of three pilot locations, comprising a family district court, a family circuit court, and a family high court. Judges with specific expertise in dealing with families and family law matters will be assigned to these first court locations on a full-time basis. Phase 2, expected from January 2028, will build on this by adding additional family court divisions to those operational from phase 1. A staggered commencement may involve certain processes coming online at different times, allowing for training and digital capacity to be established as needed and to learn from the results of the evaluation process. Phase 3, expected from January 2029, will lead to the full implementation of the Act.”
“Running alongside the project will be a comprehensive evaluation to assess its effectiveness in achieving its aim of improving how the voice of the child is heard and considered in private family law proceedings. As the Minister mentioned, the implementation plan for a new family court system was published earlier this month. The Family Courts Act 2024 will introduce important changes to the delivery of family justice in Ireland. These changes will include full-time specialist judges assigned to deal with family law within new family court divisions, each run by a new principal judge, and the possibility to provide divorce applications at both District and Circuit Court level. The implementation plan sets out a clear, three-phase approach.”
“It was established in line with the commitment in goal one of the family justice strategy, namely, supporting children. The group is progressing a number of the recommendations in the review of expert reports, including the development of a voice of the child report template, and guidelines are expected to be published in the coming months which will ensure consistency of approach by experts in supporting children to have their voices heard; and the development of the children's court advocate pilot project, which will be established in two locations, Waterford and Clonmel. The pilot will apply to all applications for guardianship, custody, and access. The service will be free of charge and will trial a new way to hear the voices of children in private family law cases. It will help regulate assessors and ensure consistency of practice.”
“That review was completed and published in 2024. The debate today has called on the Government to establish a regulatory framework for court-appointed experts, including minimum qualifications, accreditations and oversight and ensuring that contested or unvalidated theories are subject to a clear evidential standard. In June 2024, the Department of Justice published a wide-ranging review of the role of expert reports in the family law process. Significant progress has been made in advancing the 20 recommendations contained in that review. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, already referred to the work of the voice of the child working group. By way of further detail, this group was established in 2024, with membership comprising both statutory and voluntary stakeholders in the family justice system.”
“As part of the family justice strategy, the Department of justice undertook a public consultation and independent research in respect of parental alienation. The findings of both were analysed and, on foot of them, Department officials developed a policy paper on how best to address the issue. Despite the highly contested nature of this concept, there was consensus in the public consultation that the means to address parental alienation lie in improvements to the Irish family courts and the family justice system. Reflecting this, the policy paper puts forward six recommendations to address parental alienation. These are also linked to actions outlined in the family justice strategy. One of the recommendations in the policy paper suggested that a review of the expert reports in family law be undertaken.”
“The establishment of the private family law reporting project earlier this year will further promote transparency in family law proceedings. This project will contribute to greater confidence and trust in the family justice system and will better inform family law policy and reform. It is expected that this project will produce key information for the Department to support the ongoing development of family justice policy and legislation. The Minister will receive the first volume of case reports later this year. I acknowledge that family disputes are difficult. I strongly sympathise with the difficult experiences that many children and families face during family breakdowns. The Minister for justice remains committed to the ongoing reform of the family justice system to improve the rights and protections of children and families.”
“Expanding upon the In Camera report, officials in my Department are conducting an in-depth international comparative review, including on the transparency project on the use of transparency orders in England and Wales. This will form part of my Department’s ongoing examination of the report’s recommendations and their feasibility in practice. As the Minister mentioned earlier, attendance and reporting by specified persons in family law proceedings is provided for under statutory provisions, including section 40 of the Civil Liability Act 2004, as amended, provided that the anonymity of the parties is preserved at all times. I note the important role the media plays in attending to and reporting on cases, supporting transparency and raising awareness of these important issues.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute on behalf of the Government and the Minister for Education and Youth and our Department. I welcome the commitment given by the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, to enhance transparency and public understanding of the family law system and ensure that the right of children and parents to privacy is upheld. In relation to open reporting, in The Operation of the In Camera Rule in Family Law Proceedings, recommendation 9 proposes introducing a right for accredited members of the media to attend all family law hearings and a right to communicate with parties on an anonymised basis. This approach is similar to the recent developments in England and Wales under their open reporting provisions.”
“The work is ongoing with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann. We have to implement the reform and get the data. There is a huge body of work to be done but we intend to do it as soon as possible.”
“E-ticketing and the collection of data on school transport are hugely important. We have seen an increase in the State funding being provided, from €200 million to €527 million currently. Demand is growing in terms of the number of people who are looking to access the school transport system. Since 2018, the number of students travelling on it has grown by 50%. Deputy Burke is aware, from people telling him about challenges in regard to buses, that some of the buses do not have full occupancy. We are constantly being asked if we have data on this. E-ticketing will help us to know whether an allocated seat is being used three days a week or five days a week, mornings and afternoons, and what the data is in that regard, to ensure that the scarce resources we have are being best applied.”
“All pilots are being monitored, and will be evaluated in the future to better inform us. The e-ticketing pilot project is a hugely important piece of data collection for us and will make the best possible information available to us when we are planning the future direction of school transport. This morning a number of Deputies were looking for additional services in their communities. It is also important that we have the data on the utilisation of the current system, which will make sure we are putting the State resources to the best possible use.”
“Not only will e-tickets replace the current printed paper tickets but they should also provide accurate information on ticket utilisation, which is currently not readily available. Better data will inform future route planning and maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the system. A technology working group has been established between the Department and Bus Éireann. Work is progressing on several projects, including e-ticketing, and the Department continues to engage with both the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority on these matters. A phased implementation of the review's recommendations began at the start of the 2024-25 school year alongside the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann. A total of 14 pilot projects took place and a further 11 pilot projects were approved for this school year.”
“The school transport 2030 report was published in early 2024 following a comprehensive analysis and review of the scheme as it currently operates. The recommended changes to the future operation of the scheme include expansion of the eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure we have better value for money for the Exchequer. As part of the review, it was also recommended that the Department and Bus Éireann continue to explore and implement improved technology. The Department is currently progressing a number of technological improvements to the scheme, including the planned introduction of e-ticketing.”
“I talked about if we had endless funding in the Department, one issue would be traditional feeder schools and the policy there. We have to work within the parameters we have. In relation to the evolving of the school transport system, it is hugely valued within rural Ireland because it is an enabler to get the children to and from school and the different work patterns parents have. As I said earlier, one week last September there were nine hours of debate on school transport within the Houses of the Oireachtas which showed the level of interest in relation to it. One of the issues the Deputy’s colleagues raised earlier in relation to another part of the country was feeder schools. There is no question we have challenges in relation to this because of the huge growth in the school transport system in the past number of years.”
“Going back a number of years, it was the catchment areas which were drawn up in the late 1960s. We removed that. It is something that is constantly brought in with feeder schools and it is constantly under review.”
“We have looked at the different challenges with feeder schools and where the clusters or noise is within the system. Last year, we had a weekly meeting with Bus Éireann and the Department to monitor the situation and this year we have brought forward a closing date from June to 8 May to ensure we can do better. We probably will have the same challenges in August or September but we want to have better sight of what is needed and what are the applications. The issue in relation to feeder schools is continuously raised with us whether in the Deputy’s area or other areas, and how the figures are with parental choice and what the norm is in those communities. It is something that if we had an endless purse we would love to resolve but we are constantly keeping it under review.”
“A lot of the questions that have come from the Deputy, and from other Deputies, concerned feeder schools, the criteria involved in this context and how that marries into how we operate the school transport system in future. County Mayo has been mentioned a few times, and we will certainly review the situation, but it will be based on the data we have from the pilot schemes.”
“There are challenges in relation to areas of the country where the feeder schools are going to one particular school and the nearest school is going to other schools. Those have been recurring for some time. In fact, going back a number of years ago, it was changed from the catchment area to the nearest school to try to alleviate the pressures in the school transport system and to modernise it. A number of pilot projects have taken place. There were 14 in the previous school year and 11 in the current school year. This data is being collected right to the end of this school year to ensure we have a proper glance at where the challenges are. In the programme for Government, we are committed to further expanding the scheme. Indeed, the 2030 report also talks about it.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. The school transport system is operated on behalf of the Department by Bus Éireann and it has expanded significantly over the past six years. In response to previous questions, I said the number of pupils using the service had increased from 120,000 years ago to 181,000 now. That is more than a 50% increase in a short time. The investment by the State has increased from €200 million to €537 million in 2025. There has been a huge increase in the special education requirement aspect of it as well, which now accounts for almost 60% of funding in the scheme. The Deputy mentioned the feeder schools. At various points, we can see that the school transport system is encountering challenges across the country.”
“There are pinch points across the country. There are always issues in relation to school transport in Wicklow. The school transport scheme was initiated in the late 1960s because a huge number of people did not have transport themselves. The school transport system was to get people to post-primary in particular, and to primary school as well. Now, because of work patterns, it is a crucial piece for families, in rural Ireland in particular, to make sure they have access to education. Regarding the issues around the feeder schools, we will evaluate the data that will come forward at the end of this year on the pilot schemes. The cost of the scheme to the Exchequer has grown hugely over a short number of years, but we have to meet the demand as well. I will keep the points the Deputy made under review.”
“Those evaluations will be done after this school year to inform us how best we can meet the various challenges within the system.”
“The school transport system is a hugely valued piece by families right across primary, post-primary and special education. Since the start of the school transport system in the late 1960s there have been many changes along the way. We had the recommendations of the report. The cost of the school transport has grown hugely over the past number of years to try to meet the needs. Last September or October, there were over nine hours of discussion in the Dáil, Seanad Éireann and committees in one week on school transport and that goes to show the respect there is for school transport right across the system. The Deputy made a point in relation to feeder schools and the anomalies within the school transport system. We are evaluating some of the pilot schemes that have been done over the past two years.”
“All pilots are being monitored, and a further evaluation will take place at the end of the current school year. Findings from these evaluations will guide the planning and implementation needed for a national rollout of a revised school transport scheme. Implementation of the recommendations of the review will continue to be planned subject to resources being available to meet the increased demand.”
“The recommended changes to the schemes include expansion of the current eligibility criteria, addressing current operational challenges and moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure the better value for money to the Exchequer. It was outlined at the time the review was published that the proposed changes to the eligibility criteria would further increase demand for the scheme so it was considered prudent to implement the changes on a phased basis. As part of this phased rollout, 14 school transport pilots commenced in the 2024-25 school year. A further 11 pilots were approved for the 2025-26 school year. For these pilots, the distance criteria for pupils were reduced to 2 km for primary and post-primary and the need for a pupil to be attending their nearest school was removed.”
“The school transport system scheme, which Bus Éireann operates on behalf of the Department, has expanded significantly over the past six years. In that time, the number of children and young people using the service has grown from under 120,000 in 2018 to over 181,000, including over 24,000 pupils with special educational needs in 2025, which equates to an increase of over 50%. Since 2018, investment in the scheme has more than doubled from €200 million to €537 million in 2025. The growth in school transport has been especially marked in the area of special educational needs. This now represents almost 60% of the scheme’s total costs, while serving around 13% of pupils. The School Transport 2030 report was published in early 2024.”
“It is important that the Department and the NCSE keep the matter under review but the school community should listen very carefully as well to the guidance they are being given and that they should utilise everything within the new school building at Stapolin Educate Together National School.”
“I appeal to James's family and the councillor to make sure they are engaging with the NCSE, like we have over many years within the NCSE. We are building up the expertise within the council to liaise with families. It is hugely important that we have what is needed on the ground dealing with families and challenges within the school communities. However, in the first instance it is important that James's mom is engaging with the council because it is the important conduit between the families and the school communities. It is always easier to give the carte blanche but this is a very challenging question the Deputy keeps referring to.”
“We are looking at how best we can support children with additional needs right across the city of Dublin and right across the country. It is fair to say that it is a relatively new school and it is important the school prioritises utilisation of all existing capacity in the first instance.”
“I know the school community is extremely dedicated and capable. It has been engaging with all the public representatives, including the Deputy. He has mentioned it a considerable number of times in the House. There is a number of issues. We are trying to make sure that we have the best possible provision across the Dublin community. Dublin continues to be a challenge in terms of special education, both in special classes and in special schools. There is a huge amount of work going on. This school is a new building, comprising of 16 mainstream classes. We are looking at other school communities to make sure we have a balance right across the system in it. Deputy Heneghan has raised it a number of times but I assure him that we are looking at every single piece and at all school communities.”
“Resources are available to support schools who have children who have needs beyond those catered for within the special classes. I ask the school to continue to engage with the NCSE on accessing those supports. The council is also engaging with parents in the locality and in the surrounding areas to ensure there is a range of provision available, including in Stapolin National School. My Department and the council will continue to keep the matter under review.”
“As the Deputy knows, I visited the school last year and I know the good work the staff do in supporting children with additional needs. This school is already supporting three special classes. The focus for the Department and the NCSE is working to provide new special classes in medium and larger primary schools with none or just one special class. The school received a new building comprising 16 mainstream classrooms and a two-class SEN base in 2023. A recently received application for two special education needs modular classrooms under the additional school accommodation, ASA, scheme is currently under consideration. However, as this is a relatively new school building, the Department expects the school to prioritise utilisation of all existing capacity in the first instance.”
“The Government is committed to the continued accelerated provision of additional special classes and special school places for 2026-27. The National Council for Special Education is the statutory body tasked with sanctioning new special education provision in our schools. The NCSE has sanctioned 432 new special classes nationally, including 102 new special classes in Dublin, for the next school year 2026-27, with more to follow in the coming weeks. This is a number of months ahead of last year and provides for greater certainty for families and more time for schools to plan for the establishment of new special classes. I commend every school, including the school referred to by the Deputy, that expresses an interest in opening a new special class.”
“I will give a commitment to get that published as a matter of urgency. I reiterate that the recommendations in the report have very much been taken on board by the Government to make sure they are implemented for the best possible education system for children with additional needs.”
“I give the Deputy a commitment that we will publish it as a matter of urgency. I acknowledge hugely the amount of work that is being put in by the people into the task force by each and every one of the education partners across the sector. The Minister and I have been working since Christmas. Most Monday nights have been spent in meetings in relation to moving forward the education and special education component of it as well to ensure that we are listening to the challenges that are out there. We are taking on board the challenges right across the sector whether it is the SNAs and the school communities, but particularly families and communities that are looking to have the best possible education facilities and educational experience for children with additional needs.”
“A spotlight was put on that area because of the difficulties that were there a couple of years ago. I assure the Deputy that we are looking at the key recommendations in it. The report will be published very shortly. I also assure the Deputy that the recommendations that are in it have been taken on board. We in the Department are working meticulously to make sure that those are implemented.”
“I assure the Deputy that we will be publishing it as a matter of urgency. On the key recommendations, a task force outlined the challenges that were being faced in a particular part of Dublin 15, but it is also representative of the challenges that are being faced across the country. The recommendations that are in it are in relation to investing, understanding the challenges and the need within the communities and to make sure that the whole of the Government and the Department are focused on ensuring that there is provision for special education. An awful lot of work has gone on over the past to ensure that we have school places for children who have special education requirements and to ensure that we have the supports across the country and in Dublin in particular, where there was a huge challenge.”
“Additional funding has been secured for capitation for schools, with a particular focus on special schools. The State, as set out in the NDP launch earlier this year, is making significant capital funding available to our schools. I am happy to confirm that the report will be published very shortly.”
“The key aims of the task force were to advise on how to better plan for the provision of special education places in Dublin 15 for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond, examine better ways to establish the level of need in the area, advise on how special education places can be provided and to examine how a common application system can be established to reduce the burden on parents applying to multiple schools. The task force that supports forward planning of special education provision in the Dublin 15 area submitted its report late last year. The report sets out 21 key recommendations. I am happy that work is progressing in relation to meeting some of the key recommendations of the task force. A new education therapy service is being established.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question. In 2024, the then Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion established a task force to support the forward planning of special education provision in the Dublin 15 area. I thank all of the task force members, including parents representatives, school principals, school patron representatives and representatives of the HSE, the NCSE and officials from the Departments of children and education, for their work through the school year 2024-2025 in discussing the key issues relating to special education provision. The task force met on ten separate occasions.”
“The SNAs are a hugely integral part of the education experience for children with additional needs and they are the foundation of what we are doing. We want to ensure we have the right tools in terms of circulars, the workforce development plan, and redeployment in place to ensure SNAs are valued and the role they play is updated in the new circular.”
“We have had a considerable amount of engagement on this and work has been ongoing for a number of years on the SNA workforce development plan, redeployment and on the circular. A lot of work has been done in relation to the circular going back a number of years at this stage, involving consultation with those across the education partners, parents groups, children's advocates and SNAs who are central to advising on the challenges and the evolving role. It is important to note that we have been engaging extremely well to bring a new circular into the system. A huge amount of work has been done in terms of consulting with the people who are at the coal face. There are almost 25,000 SNAs and we have no intention, as a Government, to deplete the SNAs.”
“The outcome of the consultation we have had with the various stakeholders, including SNAs, Fórsa, the National Parents Council and the Children's Rights Alliance, is a draft circular which provides a clear and detailed description of the range of duties and responsibilities of the evolving SNA role. The Minister and I fully understand the evolving role, which is a product of meaningful collaboration with all of those in our school communities. We met with the SNAs and other stakeholders last month in a day-long engagement to discuss work being carried out by the Department on the plan, including the comprehensive review of the SNA role. It is intended that a new circular and associated guidance documents on the role of the SNA will be published in quarter 2 of 2026.”
“These stakeholders included school management bodies, Fórsa, the recognised trade union which represents SNAs, the National Parents Council, and the Children’s Rights Alliance. All of these organisations, through their representatives, participated in the dialogue, exchanged views, provided suggested wording and ultimately influenced the final text of the circular. My Department has also conducted significant focus group research as well as a national survey of SNAs to ensure everyone in our school communities was given the opportunity to provide input.”
“The policy and the process for allocating SNAs has been in place since 2014 and the NCSE continues to respond to increasing demand for SNA support, as is reflected in the growing SNA workforce. By the end of this year, there will be almost 25,000 SNAs in our mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. Since its publication, circular 30/2014 has facilitated unparalleled growth of more than 13,200 SNAs, more than doubling the SNA workforce. The Department has concluded a comprehensive review of the role of the SNA as part of ongoing work on the first SNA workforce development plan. This work was supported by a working group comprised of a wide range of stakeholders which met on 15 different occasions in recent times, providing input from a number of perspectives.”
“I thank the Deputy for the question. The Department of education recognises the value of the special needs assistant, SNA, role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential. I am also aware of the contribution that SNAs make to the educational experience and overall well-being of students in our schools. I recognise that SNAs demonstrate a deep commitment to their roles and the students they work with, providing a range of supports, including for behaviours of concern, assisting students with regulation and fostering independence. Currently provisions on the role of the SNA are set out in circulars 30/2014 and 71/2011.”
“You are looking at a number of cohorts of students who started out thinking this would be completed by the time they were completing school and then it takes another round of students to go through the process again. I will look to have a meeting and serious engagement with the Deputies and the Department of education to ensure we can prioritise this and make sure any road blocks that are in the way are moved but also that we understand the challenges. Right across Dublin it is great to see schools that have space because we are really challenged with space in a lot of Dublin school communities. However, there is space here so we need utilise it and ensure we do that. I will endeavour to find out what is happening with the report that is with the Department since July 2025. I will also endeavour to undertake the Deputies' request.”
“With any funding going in from the State to new schools and buildings, it is important we have the special education part of it as well. That is a decision that has been taken by us in the Department to ensure we are accommodating children with additional needs within any new build. I take the point it has been 12 years. There was mention of 2011 and 2014. It has been too long. There is a report in with the Department and I will endeavour to find out where that is at. I also take the point that sometimes we spend an awful lot of time, effort and money to try to patch something up while we are waiting for the essential build. Deputy Crowe mentioned four years until completion.”
“I will go back to the Department and ensure the submission received in July is reviewed in a timely manner and that engagement is brought back to the stakeholders, including the school authorities, project manager and so on. I will endeavour as well to ensure I can report back to the three Deputies on where the current application for emergency works is.”
“It is important we move with the submission that is there. On the immediate issue with the roof, I wish to clarify if there is an application in for emergency works for that. I will endeavour to go back to that application to see where that is at rather than give lip service to it in the Chamber. I understand the seriousness of it because of the co-operation between the Deputies. I will endeavour to find out where the submission is at, how soon we can get that reviewed and on to all the stakeholders. There is a lot of detailed planning that goes in to ensure we are getting the best possible outcome. The Government has committed a huge amount of funding over the past number of years and into the future to school buildings across the country. At school visits I have made, we have often see there are major challenges with the buildings.”