Hildegarde Naughton

Under the DEIS programme, 306 primary schools with the highest concentration of children at risk of educational disadvantage are included in DEIS urban band 1. These schools receive the highest level of staffing and funding available under the DEIS programme. The Department recently introduced two additional measures to support children in schools at very high levels of disadvantage. Strand 1 of t…

The schools will be notified. A design advisory group was established to inform the Department of the DEIS plus schemes. That group includes principals, home school liaison officers, school completion programme co-ordinators and professionals who work directly with these children. The Department has engaged with other Departments, agencies, education partners and stakeholders across the education …

Mar a d’fhéadfadh an Teachta Dála a bheith ar an eolas faoi, tá 314 ceantar pleanála scoile ar fud na tíre agus tá 50 Gaelcholáiste ag feidhmiú faoi láthair. Seolfar liosta de na ceantair pleanála scoile nach bhfuil iarbhunscoil lánGhaeilge nó Gaelcholáiste iontu go díreach chuig an Teachta Dála mar a iarradh. There is varying demand for Irish-medium post-primary provision across the country, whi…

We have a commitment in the programme for Government to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand to support parents to choose Irish-medium education for their children. My Department launched the new policy last November. A key action of that policy was the establishment of the task force. My Department has established three new Irish-medium post-primary schools since 2014 …

There are currently 50 Gaelcholáistí across the country and almost all of them are undersubscribed for enrolments. This Government is committed to establishing and supporting-----

My Department and the Government are absolutely committed to expanding the number of Gaelcholáistí and Gaelscoileanna across the country. As the Deputy knows, there was a recent primary school survey which included questions to establish parental interest in Irish-medium provision and while it was a survey for primary schools, it provides very useful information and a guide to inform post-primary …

I thank Deputy McGreehan for her question. It gives me pleasure to have the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the current position in relation to accommodation at Monksland National School in County Louth. The school is a co-educational Catholic school under the patronage of the Archbishop of Armagh. It has an enrolment in 2025-2026 of 139 pupils, which includes pupils in the two sp…

I thank the Deputy again for raising this issue with me. Deputy Paula Butterly had also raised the issue of this school. I will ask the Department about those previous applications. As I said, we have to look at the existing capacity within schools across the country when we are looking at providing spaces. The priority is for special educational places across the country. We are committed to ensu…

I thank Deputy Farrelly for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity to provide an update to the House on the school building project at St. Farnan's Post Primary School in Prosperous, County Kildare. The project brief is to provide a new-build replacement school for a long-term projected enrolment of 1,000 pupils, including a four-classroom special educational needs base. The delivery o…

I thank the Deputy. I can certainly hear his passion for this project. As I have said, the Department is committed to ensuring appropriate accommodation is available to all school pupils and will in the wider context outlined ensure each school project on the school building programme is subject to the due diligence required under the public infrastructure guidelines. It is a challenging construct…

Hear, hear.

Well done, a Cheann Comhairle.

The Government and I recognise the importance of early intervention for children with disabilities and of ensuring they receive the right services at the right time. For children with complex needs, these services are delivered through the CDNTs across the country. In 2025, the CDNTs will provide supports and services to almost 45,000 children with complex needs. This is an increase of some 2,000 …

At the end of September 2025 the whole-time equivalent posts for the Cork area was 308.77. Of those, 234.73 were filled and there were a further 32.42 post holders on various types of leave.

I thank the Deputy. He is not disputing the figures. These are the figures that were supplied to me and they include, as he has outlined as well, those who are on various types of leave. Across the board we are engaging in recruitment campaigns. Student placements within our CDNTs continue to be expanded because we want to encourage those on placements within in our teams, so they will come back t…

On the Deputy's last point, that is exactly what we are doing. I am not disputing the fact we absolutely need to increase recruitment. There is a huge amount of work happening. In budget 2026 €8 million has been secured to allow for the funding of 150 staff for our CDNTs and the configuration of these posts is under review by the HSE. That expands on the funding of €2.85 million which was made ava…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am taking this question on behalf of my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Minister and the Government continue to make progress in improving access to meet the health needs of rural and remote communities. Sláintecare is the roadmap for reform of our healthcare system. A key milestone is the organisation of the HSE into six …

I will raise the issue as well with the Minister for Health. The Department of Health encourages regional teams to explore service models that reflect the realities in their communities. It is important that the regions learn from one another and that they share best practices. Such work can then inform broader strategies for improving care in remote areas right across the country. Looking ahead,…

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Helen McEntee, who is unavailable. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter. It gives me an opportunity to discuss the current position with Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola. The Deputy will be aware that the school is a DEIS post-primary school in Falcarragh, County Donegal, and the school had an enrol…

I will raise the matter with the Minister, Deputy McEntee. As I have stated, my understanding is those applications from Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola for additional accommodation are being considered. The school will be contacted directly once a decision is made. I assure the Deputy that the Department of Education and Youth will advance this matter as quickly as possible and it is very conscio…

I thank Deputy Gannon. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan. The Department of Education and Youth and the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, are aware of the recent issues raised by the school to which the Deputy refers. Both Department and NCSE officials are engaging with the school directly to address the concerns raised. A meeting was h…

As previously stated, both the Department and NCSE officials are engaging directly with the school in relation to the recent concerns raised by the school. There has been an online meeting and a school visit is planned to involve the NCSE, NEPS, and the inspectorate. I cannot stress enough that any school that has a concern regarding the provision of supports available for students with special ed…

I welcome the Deputy's question and the opportunity to set out the significant funding that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has delivered and continues to deliver in terms of payment schemes for the beef and sheep sectors. Payment schemes for the beef and sheep sector can be divided into two types. First, there are national schemes. In 2025 there are two such schemes supporting …

I will raise the specific issue the Deputy raised with the Minister. The information I have here in relation to the two schemes - the sheep and beef sectors - is that the Minister secured a further €50 million for those two national schemes in budget 2026. The Department has met with the farming organisations regarding those schemes. I will go back to the Minister and get him to come back to the D…

I rise today to express my full confidence in the Fine Gael leader, the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, and in his work as a Minister in this Government. At the outset, I pass on my sincere condolences to the family of Harvey Morrison Sherratt and especially to his mum and dad, Gillian and Stephen. We as a Government need to do better for vulnerable children, whether they have a disability or they…