The project is a step in the right direction. The previous Minister in the Department, the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, moved the initiative on. It is a clear indication of the importance of small schools in communities. We have visited a number of schools over the past eight or nine months. Some city schools are small too, for different reasons.
On having an administrator within the cluster, there is huge collabor…
TDs / Michael Moynihan
Michael Moynihan
Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth
Portrait: © Houses of the Oireachtas (Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence) · source file
5
questions asked
Oral and written, to government departments
133,123
words spoken in the chamber
133,123 as a minister, 0 as a TD
426
votes recorded
Each Yes, No or Abstained in a recorded vote
4
topics asked about
Across 3 departments
From the Dáil chamber only: committee meetings are not in this archive.
What they ask about
The subject headings the Oireachtas filed their questions under.
Who they ask
The departments their questions were addressed to.
Month by month
Low months are usually recesses, when the Dáil does not sit. The archive runs to 22 October 2026.
Questions asked 5 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Contributions to debates 382 in all
Dec 2024Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions | Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| December 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| January 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| February 2025 | 0 | 27 |
| March 2025 | 0 | 3 |
| April 2025 | 1 | 25 |
| May 2025 | 1 | 5 |
| June 2025 | 0 | 15 |
| July 2025 | 0 | 19 |
| August 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 2 | 4 |
| October 2025 | 0 | 18 |
| November 2025 | 0 | 10 |
| December 2025 | 0 | 42 |
| January 2026 | 1 | 12 |
| February 2026 | 0 | 34 |
| March 2026 | 0 | 8 |
| April 2026 | 0 | 26 |
| May 2026 | 0 | 23 |
| June 2026 | 0 | 30 |
| July 2026 | 0 | 18 |
| August 2026 | 0 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 0 | 6 |
| October 2026 | 0 | 57 |
Debates they spoke in most
Plus 349 contributions in the regular slots, such as Leaders' Questions and Priority Questions. Speech from the chair is not counted.
Asked about similar topics
Not enough questions on record to compare.
Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Cork North-West 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
- office Minister of State at the Department of Education 29 January 2025 to 1 May 2025
- office Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth 2 May 2025 to now
The school campus referred to by the Deputy comprises a junior school and a senior school. The junior school has a major project with the Department for a new school building on the existing site, which is currently at construction stage. This project will provide modern facilities for the school community, including provision for children with special educational needs. As part of this project substantial external p…
I accept the genuine frustration of the Deputies on this. The Department of Education and Youth is very committed. Many facilities paid for by the State and built up over the years close on Friday evening and do not open again until Monday morning. We do want to make sure every facility, be it in Jobstown or anywhere else, is used. I have considerable experience as a public representative over a number of years in tr…
The capitation grant is specifically paid for costs relating to the running of the school, such as the cost of heating and lighting. We had debates earlier in the session regarding that. I do not think it should affect this issue. Is the archdiocese looking for some information? I find it difficult as well. We are dealing with a very protracted system across the patron bodies as well. I would have no difficulty in tr…
I thank the Deputy for his comprehensive list of school projects. I know that a significant amount of work is taking place. I compliment the Deputy on the work he does in engaging with schools because I believe public representatives should be constantly engaging with school communities. I thank him for his engagement on this and his engagement with us over the past number of months.
Since 2020, the Department has i…
I thank both Deputies. Deputy Dolan has raised Carrabane National School continuously with me and the Department. We visited the school in Galway and I know the challenges that are there. It was remiss of me not to say that I am very much looking forward to working with our new Minister for education, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton. We have had many lengthy discussions on education over the past number of weeks. I really…
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following:
Dáil Éireann:
notes that the Government:
— recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families;
— is committed to ensuring that schools will adopt measures to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs in line with Programme f…
I thank the Deputy for the question. The Department of education and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, are aware of the recent issues raised by the school to which Deputy O’Sullivan referred. I can confirm that the Department and the NCSE have met and are in ongoing contact with the management of the school to ensure the needs of all students continue to be met.
As Deputy O’Sullivan knows, when a spe…
Seventeen.
Right now, that is the number.
Officials from the NCSE and the Department met the school board of management, including the chair, and the principal on 10 October. There is ongoing engagement with the NCSE and the Department. The NCSE is arranging a follow-up meeting with the school this week to discuss the findings of the SNA review, the recommendations to support SNA resources and other related issues. I guarantee that we are working very closel…
Deputy O’Sullivan raised various issues. The details of the review are between the board, the NCSE and the Department. Much work has been done by these three over the past month or six weeks. I pay tribute to everybody concerned, including in St. Gabriel’s. They met immediately on the Friday after the Thursday night on which the issue was raised with me, and they have continued to engage.
A reduction in hours is not…
The Minister and I have set a vision to deliver a world-class education service which breaks down barriers and ensures that every child can achieve their full potential. The investment of €7.55 billion in capital funding through the national development plan in the coming years will ensure that we can deliver new school places and upgrade existing schools. It will provide a record 14,000 school places in special clas…
The completion of the sale of the additional lands was completed at the end of May 2025. As I understand it, there was a huge amount of work to be done. The actual acquisition of that land, the 2.765 acres adjacent to the school, was completed at the end of May 2025. That is the clear understanding of the Department. The Department is working through the projects at the moment. I take the point that it is the coeduca…
There might be some confusion here-----
-----as to the letters that may have been issued in January. I presume those letters that were issued by the Department referenced moving to the next stage. Not until tender documentation is assessed and everything else is done is final approval given. I have not seen the letter of February to which the Deputy referred. A lot of work needs to be done. The site has been acquired. I assure the Deputy that we will work …
I move amendment No. 1:
To delete all words after "That" and substitute with the following:
"Dáil Éireann declines to give the Education (Amendment) Bill 2024 a second reading consequent on Dáil Éireann's passage of the following motion on 16th October, 2025:
notes that:
— a child's right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and, under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilit…
I listened to both Deputies.
I acknowledge the complete sincerity of the work Deputy Ó Murchú is doing. Others must judge my character but I would like to think that I am open. I do not have a monopoly on wisdom but I have a monopoly on experience and want to make sure that we are doing the best we can.
I will outline a number of things we are doing. I outlined the Government's concern about the proposed legislatio…
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue regarding Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire on Dominick Street. It gives me the opportunity to outline to the Dáil the current position. The Minister and the Department of Education and Youth are fully committed to delivering a new school building for Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire as quickly as possible. Department officials are in constant contact with the school authorities, meeting e…
The Department sets out to make sure building projects are moved forward. Issues have arisen with this project. The Department, the Minister and ourselves take very seriously the obligations we have in relation to public funding. We are very committed. My understanding clearly is that the Department officials are in contact with the school authorities on a regular basis. I accept the frustration----
I accept the frustration in relation to this project, which has been ongoing and which is hugely important for the community. I reassure the Deputy that the Department is engaging to find an interim solution first, but the long-term solution is to make sure this project is completed. That is the aim and the goal of both the Department and the school authorities. They will work together to try to make sure a resolutio…
What is the old Irish seanfhocal - "Ní neart go cur le chéile"? I worked with the Deputies on Belmayne Educate Together and it is encouraging to see all Deputies from the area coming together. It sends a powerful signal to their communities, to us and to the Department about the seriousness of it. I commend the Deputies on that.
I thank them for raising the issue. We are fully committed to delivering a new school bu…
The first thing I will say is I will not be giving any wild commitments. I understand the frustration and accept it absolutely.
The design team has finalised the tender documentation. The review of the documentation is in the Department. The commitment I will give is we will make sure it is not delayed within it. There was a commitment given for 1 September. We are now heading for the end of October. That is six weeks of a delay. Every week and day is a delay. I accept people's frustration. As public representatives in the community, the Depu…
Last Thursday, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan contacted me about St. Gabriel's Special School and the information it had given to parents. It is a very challenging and distressing situation. On Friday morning, the Department and the National Council for Special Education made contact with the school and a very extensive meeting was held in the afternoon. Thankfully, the position taken by the management and board on Thursd…