Noel Grealish
Galway West · Independent · Ireland
“In this regard, the FAI has strongly represented the views of its membership that Israel should be excluded from international football competitions, including bringing a motion to UEFA to this effect last year.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. I will outline to the Dáil the current position on investments in school infrastructure in County Waterford. Waterford county is broken down into five school planning areas.”
“We will also continue to use our influence to persuade the international community to take appropriate action and stop this conflict. However, we should not reduce this issue to one or two football games or events.”
“Should the first fixture take place in Dublin, which again is ultimately a matter for the FAI and UEFA, I am fully confident that An Garda Síochána has the expertise and resources to police the game properly.”
“Of the total €7.55 billion investment, it is envisaged that approximately €5 billion will be used for project roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the large-scale, additional accommodation, modular and annual September accommodation needs programmes.”
“Ireland had taken a strong stance in respect of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including recognising the State of Palestine, and the Government stands ready to play our part in working towards a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine, through the realisation of the two-state solution.”
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“This €7.55 billion investment will be prioritised to ensure every child has a school place and it will support the overall operation of the school system and youth sector in terms of capital infrastructure. The Department puts a very strong emphasis on achieving value for money. Its focus is on delivering good quality functional accommodation for schools based on its suite of standard designs and specifications. That is the response I was given from officials in the Department of education. I wish the Deputy well in the meeting tomorrow. It is important that the school engages with the Minister. Perhaps, they will get some good news.”
“The Department has a strong track record of delivering the Government's school building programme, with over €6.9 billion invested since 2020. This has delivered more than 1,400 completed school building projects along with over 4,000 small-scale improvement works to meet priority maintenance needs and advance energy efficiency and climate goals. A total capital ceiling of €7.55 billion for 2026 to 2030 was allocated to the Department of Education and Youth under the national development plan review. This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education, and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.”
“As part of planning ahead for the next tranche of projects to progress to tender, a Department-led prioritisation process will continue over the course of 2026 and 2027. This will include engagement with key stakeholders, including meetings with patrons this month. The Department-led energy and condition survey of the school estate, which will be finalised later in 2026, will provide an additional evidence base for assessing priorities. A next tranche of projects to proceed to tender is expected to be announced in 2027. Investment under the plan also involves the delivery of the first tranche of 297 projects under the climate action summer works scheme. This includes seven projects in County Waterford that are approved to undergo works this summer.”
“Of the total €7.55 billion investment, it is envisaged that approximately €5 billion will be used for project roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the large-scale, additional accommodation, modular and annual September accommodation needs programmes. The Department continues to build on the progress made over recent years with the roll-out of projects on a prioritised basis to meet the most urgent needs in terms of provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities. In this regard, the Department also published a list of 105 school building projects in the first tranche to proceed to construction or tender over 2026 and 2027. This list included two projects in County Waterford, one of which is the now under construction. The second project has moved to tender stage.”
“During that period, over 30 schools in County Waterford were upgraded through the provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or the provision of modular accommodation. In addition, approximately 120 small-scale improvement works were undertaken across the county's schools to address maintenance needs and enhance energy efficiency. Furthermore, since 2020, a total of 68 special classes have been sanctioned in County Waterford, of which 17 were sanctioned for September 2026. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department published the €7.55 billion NDP sectoral investment plan for the education and youth sectors for the period from 2026 to 2030 earlier this year.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. I will outline to the Dáil the current position on investments in school infrastructure in County Waterford. Waterford county is broken down into five school planning areas. An analysis of the primary school population in Waterford indicates that primary school enrolments will reduce in all areas over the next five years, with the exception of the school planning area of Ring, which may see a small increase in enrolments. Post-primary enrolments in all areas are projected to remain steady and to peak in the next few years. There are currently four school projects under construction in County Waterford. These projects are in addition to €150 million in capital funding for County Waterford schools since 2020.”
“I thank the Deputy for his comments. When I was on that side of the House, we brought in a lot of Private Members' business about An Post. We always emphasised the importance of the post office and the postman. In all fairness, the postman was the connection with a lot of elderly people living at home. He used to call and check on them to make sure they were there. There is always that fear you will lose the services in the area. I will not read out the script I have in front of me. However, I will get a transcript of what the Deputy said and bring it to the Minister. I will ask him to reply directly to him about the issues he raised.”
“In line with the programme for Government, the funding will support the stability and sustainability of the nationwide network of post offices, protecting and nurturing a commercially focused post office network. It will also support access for citizens to the key social benefits of the post office network and help citizens access services effectively.”
“Departmental officials engage with An Post on various consent requests and An Post is aware of the requirement for compliance with the code of practice. The Government is committed to a sustainable An Post and post office network as a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout Ireland. The programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance the value they bring to local communities. The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport is working to deliver on this and an enhanced amount of €15 million per annum has been allocated for supporting the network subject to all legal requirements being satisfied.”
“An Post advises that it needs much larger premises or repurposed facilities, or both, to manage increased parcel volumes and to meet the future needs of the city and the changing needs of its customers. It notes these new buildings also represent an improvement in working conditions for staff and make huge inroads in terms of sustainability with regard to heating, lighting and the day-to-day operations of buildings like the new delivery hub. In accordance with section 8.22 of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, all State bodies are required to seek the approval of the relevant Minister and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Sector Reform and Digitalisation in advance of any material acquisition or disposal of land, buildings or other material assets proposed by a State body.”
“An Post states that the proposed move is scheduled for the second quarter of next year and there is much to be considered before then. It states that its delivery office in Finglas, Dublin 11, will also be sharing the new facility being completed and purpose-fitted at the North City Business Park in Dublin 11. An Post remains in consultation with staff and unions on the details of these moves. An Post has further advised that it will facilitate the collection of missed mail locally in local post offices and PostPoint parcel collection pick-up outlets. It states the move will have also little day-to-day impact on local customers as the same postal workers will be delivering to the same local routes as before.”
“It would be inappropriate for the Government, as a shareholder, to comment on decisions that are for the board and management of An Post to consider. Notwithstanding that this is an operational matter, officials have engaged with the company. An Post has noted it is consolidating its national network of local sorting offices, also known as delivery service units, DSUs. It advises that it needs larger and purpose-fitted premises to manage increased parcel volumes. An Post has advised that as part of a citywide plan over this year and next, it is relocating a number of its delivery offices to new city delivery hubs. Among these will be the An Post delivery offices in Harmonstown, Dublin 5, and Griffith Avenue in Whitehall, Dublin 9, moving to a new north Dublin delivery hub.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I speak today on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, who could not be here. I am reading from a prepared script. I welcome the opportunity to outline the position on this matter. An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially and as such, day-to-day operational matters including decisions in relation to the size, distribution and future of the network are matters for the board and the management of the company and are not ones in which either the Minister of State or the Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, has a statutory function. The Ministers are aware of the impact that decisions relating to changes in An Post operations have on communities and individuals in both rural and urban areas. This is a matter for the company.”
“Some major challenges exist, however, that can only be addressed by taking a systematic approach requiring investment in grid storage and demand flexibility. The Government remains fully committed to an ambitious and just green transition that is fair and leaves no one behind. The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has engaged widely with relevant stakeholders to identify areas for co-operation in relation to tackling energy poverty and renewable energy waste and a number of key measures are currently under way, some of which I referred to in detail earlier.”
“The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment is acutely aware that, with the scale of renewable electricity generation sources coming onto the grid, the grid needs to be more flexible to account for the intermittent nature of renewables. Moreover, for the decarbonisation pathway to be efficient our energy systems must be smart. A smart and flexible energy system will reduce consumer energy bills by reducing the amount of generation and network assets that need to be built to meet peak demand. Consequently the deployment of energy smart appliances such as electric vehicle charge points, domestic battery storage, energy storage systems, heat pumps and hot water heating solutions is a crucial step for empowering households and businesses to play a central role in Ireland’s energy transition.”
“Finally, the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment will also lead the development of an integrated strategy on the use of renewable surplus energy, which will co-ordinate technical grid limits, flexible demand, storage deployment and interconnector flows to maximise the use of renewable energy units. These measures clearly demonstrate our commitment to a just and green transition while managing the current energy affordability strains on households in Ireland.”
“Through the CRU and ESB Networks, we are expanding "Beat the Peak" initiatives and smart meter incentives, encouraging consumers and large energy users to shift their demand to times of high renewable surplus. The national energy demand strategy aims to make 20% to 30% of electricity demand flexible by 2030. A key aspect of this strategy is preparing households and businesses to maximise their use of renewables. The sixth is district heating. We are advancing the development of district heating systems to take excess heat from large energy users and other sources to power district heating solutions for both households and businesses.”
“A primary objective is to identify solutions that allow household, particularly those in energy poverty, to avail of low-cost surplus renewable energy. Third is the electricity storage policy framework. Following the publication of our battery storage framework, we are accelerating the deployment of long-duration storage and batteries. In addition, we are increasing battery capacity to buffer the grid during peak production. The fourth is the national hydrogen programme. Our new national hydrogen programme task force is overseeing a work programme to develop green hydrogen as a long-term storage solution for surplus wind and solar power. Fifth is the smart grid and demand response.”
“The Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment has engaged widely with relevant stakeholders to identify areas for co-operation in relation to tackling energy poverty and renewable energy waste. A number of key measures are currently under way. First is grid enhancement and interconnection. We are investing €18.9 billion in network infrastructure. The Greenlink interconnector, completed in April 2025, and the forthcoming Celtic interconnector with France will allow us to export surplus energy to European markets during periods of high generation. Second is the national energy affordability action plan. Through the national energy affordability task force, we are developing an action plan to be published in late 2026.”
“I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who is out of the country. Ireland is fully committed to an ambitious and just green transition, which is essential not only from an environmental perspective, but is also required to reduce our reliance on expensive imported fossil fuels. This involves remaining abreast of new technologies in order to support the integration of increasing volumes of renewables and to further support the use of surplus energy to reduce the amount of wasted energy. Some major challenges exist for electricity systems like ours which are increasingly powered by renewables. These complex issues can only be addressed by taking a systematic approach requiring investment in grid, storage and demand flexibility.”
“We are in here discussing soccer and I am very disappointed in all the Members across the House. Not one wished the Irish ladies football team well bar one – the Minister of State here-----”
“Should the first fixture take place in Dublin, which again is ultimately a matter for the FAI and UEFA, I am fully confident that An Garda Síochána has the expertise and resources to police the game properly. As has been pointed out during this debate, all NGBs, including the FAI, are independent, autonomous bodies responsible for the governance of their own sports, including the organisation of fixtures. The FAI is completely within its rights to fulfil its international fixtures, and the Government acknowledges its right to do so. The Government has no legal authority to interfere with sporting fixtures and our amendment to the motion reflects that position. The Government proposes to amend the wording of this motion, as submitted to the House. I wish the ladies’ football team well tonight. It is playing a very important game.”
“Players have trained their entire lives to compete for their country at the highest level. Denying Irish footballers the opportunity to compete in the Nations League compromises their careers and development. The Irish players, who have brought us such joy in the past year and who have dedicated so much to representing their country, should not be denied the opportunity to compete at major international tournaments as a consequence of decisions beyond their control. With regard to security around the home leg of the fixture in Dublin, the FAI is engaging with An Garda Síochána, which is confident in its ability to deliver a safe and secure environment to facilitate the fixture should it take place in Dublin.”
“In this regard, the FAI has strongly represented the views of its membership that Israel should be excluded from international football competitions, including bringing a motion to UEFA to this effect last year. While we all may agree with the motion, the reality is that it was not passed by UEFA, and the FAI must conduct itself in line with UEFA rules. While deciding whether to fulfil these fixtures is ultimately a matter for the FAI, it must be acknowledged that refusing to play the games against Israel risks isolating Irish football from the international football community. The FAI's role is to ensure that Irish football remains viable domestically and in good standing globally, without inflicting long-term damage on the sport. Punishing athletes for the actions of governments undermines the principles of international sportsmanship.”
“We will also continue to use our influence to persuade the international community to take appropriate action and stop this conflict. However, we should not reduce this issue to one or two football games or events. For good reasons, governments should not interfere with international sports federations or NGBs, particularly by directing who should play whom in international sporting events. FIFA, the world football governing body, and UEFA, the European football governing body, are responsible for the system within which these fixtures are scheduled to take place and maintain a strong line against interference by governments in international football competitions. We do not want to see an Irish team penalised due to interference by an Irish government. We are in government to run the country. The FAI should be left to run football.”
“Ireland had taken a strong stance in respect of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, including recognising the State of Palestine, and the Government stands ready to play our part in working towards a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine, through the realisation of the two-state solution. The Government believes that the most effective and impactful way to deal with Israel's actions is at European Union level. We have a consistently strong record as a country in highlighting these issues but also in taking action on a number of fronts. It is clear that the European Union needs to do more on this issue, and the Taoiseach has written to the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, asking that it would be put on the table at the next European Council meeting. We will coninue to raise this at EU level.”
“It is obvious that this House, and indeed the people of Ireland, have significant concerns about Israeli actions in Palestine and the dire and worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. I reiterate that Israeli actions in Palestine consistently contravene international law and the Government continues to press for appropriate action at EU and international level in response to Israeli breaches of human rights and democratic principles. The prevention by Israel of essential and sufficient humanitarian aid going into the people of Gaza, the continued facilitation of violent settlers in the West Bank, and the appalling displacement of so many people in Lebanon, is completely unacceptable.”
“When people come to Ireland with non-exchangeable licences, they are required to go through the process of obtaining Irish licences. While many may have a safe driving record, we have no way of measuring the standards of the driving test passed to obtain the licence. Road safety and keeping roads safe for all road users must always be the priority.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. I will bring what he raised to the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. I think the Minister of State has responsibility for driving licences. Regrettably, we are seeing an increase in fatalities on our roads this year, and we must not relax the standards required of people in order that they can be awarded licences. Accordingly, we must ensure that anyone who obtains an Irish licence has passed a practical driving test to Irish standards. Where it is not possible to do so, an Irish licence cannot be issued. While those arriving from Ukraine were able to benefit from a measure put in place under the EU's temporary protection directive, no similar directive has been established in the current situation.”
“This was an exceptional measure taken in response to the immediate and extraordinary humanitarian crisis arising from the conflict in Ukraine pending an EU-wide response to this issue. These licences were only valid for 12 months and were an interim measure prior to the introduction in July 2022 of EU-wide recognition of Ukrainian licences held by people given temporary protection under the directive for the duration of that protection.”
“Should the individual have passed an Irish driving test and acquired an Irish licence prior to moving to the Middle East, it should be noted that, under the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006, as amended, someone who is resident in Ireland may apply to renew their Irish licence within ten years of it expiring. Situations can vary and some licenses may be issued for a shorter period in certain circumstances, such as on health grounds. However, this effectively gives a window of 20 years from the day an Irish licence is issued to the date it must be renewed. The Road Traffic (Recognition of Foreign Driving Licences) (Ukraine) Order 2022, which came into law on 22 April 2022, allowed Ukrainians admitted to Ireland under the EU's temporary protection directive to exchange their Ukrainian licences for Irish licences.”
“Should an individual return to the State temporarily, they may be considered a visitor rather than a resident. Under the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic, visitors from contracting states who hold a valid licence can drive on each other's roads for up to a year when visiting. Should an individual wish to take up residence in Ireland, they must obtain an Irish licence in order to drive here. However, a person with a full but non-exchangeable licence can avail of a shorter learning-to-drive process, namely six essential driver training lessons instead of 12 and no minimum period of six months before taking a driving test.”
“I thank Senator Duffy for raising this Commencement matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Canney. People resident in Ireland must have a valid Irish or other EU licence to drive here. A resident with an exchangeable licence may apply to exchange it for an Irish licence in all categories on that licence covered by the relevant exchange agreement. Ireland does not have driving licence exchange agreements with any countries in the Middle East. Entering a driving licence exchange agreement with a country outside the EU is not a straightforward matter, and reaching them is not a matter of political will. The core principle when reaching an agreement with another jurisdiction is to ensure the continued safety of Irish road users.”
“Similarly, with regard to the other operator mentioned in the Senator's question, the National Transport Authority has statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally and for decisions regarding the routes of these services in conjunction with the relevant transport operators. The service mentioned by the Senator is a non-subvented service that is run on a commercial and competitive basis by the operator itself and does not receive funding from the Exchequer.”
“The Department of Transport acknowledges that any withdrawal of Expressway services will have an impact on some passengers via reduced services and, in some cases, the loss of direct connections. However, it will continue to liaise with the NTA in this regard. The NTA has confirmed that it would seek to mitigate the impacts to the public through targeted PSO interventions where feasible, addressing the most critical connectivity gaps. It is important to note that any interventions in this case would have to take into account competition considerations and available funding and resources in the PSO programme.”
“That being said, the Minister is aware of the announcement made by Bus Éireann in March 2026 to withdraw some of its services which operate under its commercial service Expressway. It is important to note that the particular route the Senator raised, route 64, is not one of the services which was withdrawn and continues to operate as normal. The decision to withdraw routes 4 and 52 and curtail route 40 was made following a financial and operational review carried out by Bus Éireann with regard to Expressway over recent years, which sought to ensure long term sustainability of the company. Regarding Bus Éireann's decision on services, there are implications for the public service obligation programme vis-à-vis the availability of funding for service replacements as part of the National Transport Authority's PSO determination process.”
“Neither the Minister nor his officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services, such the scheduling of timetables or monitoring of routes, which are an operational matter for Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann operates both public service obligation, PSO, services, funded by the State subvention, and Expressway intercity services, which operate on a commercial basis and do not receive any State subvention. While Expressway is a commercial operation and decisions about its network are a matter for the board, the potential implications of any changes, including for passengers, staff and the wider public transport system, give rise to a number of policy considerations.”
“My late first cousin, and his two sons and daughters participated in the fleadh cheoil on many occasions, so I know Tubbercurry very well. I thank Senator Cosgrove for her question. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic with members of the House today. From the outset, I would like to clarify that the Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport, and I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Canney, who is a huge supporter of the western rail corridor, as the Senator knows, and has put a lot of work into that during the programme for Government and continues to work on it. I know good progress has been made on it.”
“Go raibh maith ag an Seanadóir. I am very familiar with Tubbercurry. I go though it very regularly. I have an aunt up in Dunkineely so I visit her a lot and go through Tubbercurry. Tubbercurry is famous for the fleadh cheoil as well.”
“The hospital is subject to ongoing monitoring, audit and quality assurance processes which are designed to maintain high standards of safety and effectiveness. Any concerns regarding care or procedures are addressed through established review systems, including incident reporting and clinical audit. In this context, it is important to emphasise the hospital's positive inspection report following its last HIQA inspection. In the last year there have also been improvements in waiting times for both emergency patients and those awaiting inpatient procedures. The Government is committed to ongoing investment in service enhancements in the region. Substantial improvements have been put in place, including an uplift in bed numbers, staffing and budgets. Additionally, a new purpose-built emergency department and oncology unit are progressing.”
“In some places they are under pressure and we all know that. Recruitment is a problem as well. It is to be hoped the hospital will be able to get on top of these issues. I will ask the Minister to revert to the Senator on it and I thank her, once again, for raising this matter today. I reiterate that Cavan Monaghan General Hospital operates in line with the national healthcare standards and established clinical governance frameworks. Both the surgical and emergency departments follow protocols, with care delivery guided by national policies, clinical guidance and regular oversight mechanisms. Patient care is supported by multidisciplinary teams, ensuring treatment decisions are made collaboratively and in accordance with best practice.”
“I assure the Senator that I will personally bring this issue to the attention of the Minister and ask her to revert to the Senator on it. Nobody wants to hear of cases like this. At the end of the day, the staff in the health service, as everyone in this House will acknowledge, do tremendous work.”
“This includes 23 beds delivered between 2021 and 2024 and 74 beds delivered between 2025 and 2028. The hospital delivers safe and timely access to patients and the community and performs highly in national unscheduled care and emergency department key performance indicators. A new purpose-built emergency department and additional bed capacity received planning permission and started to progress through the development stages in 2025. The provision of a new extension block to the existing hospital front entrance, including a new oncology unit and upgraded pharmacy services, is currently at design stage.”
“Additionally, the waiting list for inpatient and day case procedures in Cavan has reduced by 15% compared with April 2025. Any concerns regarding care or procedures are addressed through established review systems including incident reporting and clinical audit. There has been significant investment in Cavan Monaghan General Hospital in recent years. The combined budget for the hospitals has increased by 5% from €115 million in 2020 to €183 million in 2026. Staffing has increased by 325, an increase of 28%, and bed numbers have increased by 11, a 4.8% increase since 2020. According to the acute inpatient hospital bed expansion plan, which aims to deliver 4,367 acute hospital inpatient beds by 2031, a total of 97 beds will be delivered at Cavan Monaghan General Hospital by 2028.”
“The hospital is subject to ongoing monitoring, audit and quality assurance processes which are designed to maintain high standards of safety and effectiveness. As part of the ongoing quality assurance process, HIQA inspected Cavan Monaghan General Hospital in 2024. The emergency department and four ward areas were assessed during this unannounced inspection. The findings of this inspection were positive, with ten out of 11 standards found to be compliant or substantially compliant. In Cavan emergency department, trolley numbers have decreased by 20% in the last year. In the same period, waiting times have also reduced. It is important to note these improvements occurred in the context of increased emergency department attendances.”
“The two sites are 46 km apart and operate as a single hospital with an integrated managerial and clinical governance system, care pathways and support functions. The hospital currently provides services to the population of both counties and surrounding areas. All acute inpatient services are based in Cavan General Hospital. Both hospital sites provide extensive outpatient, theatre and day services, and Cavan General hospital provides 24 hour emergency care. The HSE has advised that Cavan General Hospital operates in line with national healthcare standards and established clinical governance frameworks. Both the surgical and emergency departments follow protocols, with care delivery guided by national policies, clinical guidance and regular oversight mechanisms.”
“I thank the Senator for raising this issue. As she rightly said, I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. As regards the two issues the Senator raised, I hope that those two young lads will get back to full health. I will ensure that the Minister gets a transcript of what the Senator raised here and I will ask her to reply directly to the Senator on those two issues. Nobody wants to hear of situations like that but, at the end of the day, we hope they will be okay. I will now read the script I have been given by the Department. I thank the Senator for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Cavan Monaghan General Hospital is part of the Dublin and North East hospital group.”
“As I said, I am only representing the Minister for Education and Youth. I listened to the Senator and I have heard the issues she raised. If she would be willing to drop a note into my office, I will personally ensure the Minister will reply directly to her on the issues she has raised. They are very important issues. The most important thing everybody would like to do is ensure students get the right and proper services when they go into school, and support, which I think is crucial. The Senator made a strong and valid case for the school in her area, so if she drops a note to me, I will ensure the Minister will reply directly to her on the issues raised.”
“In that regard, I am pleased to say the Department and NCSE officials are working on a measure to support the development of students’ literacy skills. This will see a number of graduates of an MEd dyslexia programme being facilitated to provide advice and support to a number of schools in their local areas. This programme, which will be provided on a trial basis, will be operational from September next. The special education section will continue to consider the findings and recommendations of the inspectorate's report and may in time request the inspectorate to review provision for children with SLDs in special schools.”
“The purpose of the evaluation was to examine the quality of provision for children and young people with an SLD, with particular reference to understanding the placement of children and young people in these classes and to identifying the strengths and areas for improvement in learning and teaching in these classes. The inspectorate’s report will inform the development of policy in the Department’s special education section in relation to the overall effectiveness of SLD classes in the context of emerging international trends for inclusion. One of the key recommendations contained in the inspectorate's report is the need to build the capacity of mainstream schools to meet the needs of students with reading and literacy difficulties.”