265. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to review the current criteria governing eligibility for an additional year in special schools; her views that the criteria is too restrictive in certain cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7220/26]
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
Browse the questions
Showing questions asked by Barry Heneghan .
251 questions match, newest first.
266. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current level of oversubscription for special school places nationally and in Dublin; the number of applications which were received for the 2026-2027 school year to date; the measures which are being taken to increase capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7221/26]
267. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average processing time for exemption or appeal requests relating to special school placements; whether expedited procedures exist where a child faces immediate loss of a placement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7222/26]
511. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department is actively engaging with unions and school management bodies to resolve the ongoing dispute relating to school secretaries and caretakers; whether all reasonable steps are being taken to reach agreement and avoid further disruption to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5942/26]
541. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason funding has not been approved for modular accommodation at a school (details supplied) in Dublin Bay north; the rationale for approving additional classes without providing the accommodation required for them to operate; if this reflects current Department policy; if she will review this matter as a priority and ensure the necessary acco…
564. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has examined models used in comparable countries to recognise overseas teaching experience for salary and incremental purposes; whether any costed proposals were considered during recent budget processes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6378/26]
565. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the permanent school building project for a school (details supplied); the remaining stages in the approval and delivery process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6380/26]
566. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of sanctioned special classes in the Stapolin area; the current level of demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6387/26]
364. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Questions No’s 1139 1140, 1141, 1142, 1143 of 13 January 2026, the legislative basis for the deadline; the commitment which can be offered where the needs of a child changes after 1 October; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5265/26]
365. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on a new permanent school building (details supplied), including tender progress, anticipated construction start date, and interim accommodation arrangements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5266/26]
366. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average class size at primary and post-primary level for each county between the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form; whether further reductions are planned within the lifetime of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5267/26]
482. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will commit to sanctioning additional special class provision at a school (details supplied) in view of the clearly identified and urgent level of need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3401/26]
483. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that an updated SENO approval letter is issued urgently for a child with a dual diagnosis of autism and intellectual disability (details supplied) given the delays are preventing access to an appropriate school placement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3402/26]
65. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of personnel employed across all State agencies that support special education in post primary schools (details supplied); the total annual expenditure associated with these roles, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2711/26]
1136. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current rules that prevent students in special schools from accessing transition year or an equivalent additional year; if she will ensure that these students have the same opportunity as their peers in mainstream schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74804/25]
1137. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when her Department last reviewed Rule 64 -1 of the Rules for National Schools in relation to the upper age limit for attendance at special schools; whether consideration is being given to amending this rule; whether an implementation timeline has been identified for any such amendment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74805/25]
1138. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures which are currently in place to facilitate access to an additional year of education for students in special schools with the highest level of need; whether exemptions or other administrative arrangements are used for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74806/25]
1139. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the 1 October deadline for applications requiring a letter of eligibility from the National Council for Special Education for enrolment in special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74812/25]
1140. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is a legislative basis for the 1 October deadline applied by the National Council for Special Education for letters of eligibility for special school enrolment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74813/25]
1141. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider waiving or extending the 1 October deadline for NCSE letters of eligibility in exceptional circumstances where a child’s assessment changes after that date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74814/25]
1142. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way the National Council for Special Education communicated the introduction of the 1 October deadline to parents and schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74815/25]
1143. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason parents are being prevented from applying to special schools without a letter of eligibility when schools’ admission policies remain in place and receipt of such a letter does not guarantee a place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [74816/25]
425. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of personnel employed across all State agencies who support special education in post primary schools (details supplied); the total annual expenditure associated with these roles, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71387/25]
426. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department collects centralised comparative data on levels of student need across post primary schools; if so, if she will provide these data in tabular form; and if not, the rationale for requiring schools to determine need in the absence of national benchmarks given delays for professional assessments; and if she will make a statement on t…
427. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated number of administrative hours that schools spend each year on reasonable accommodations in the certificate examinations applications and assistive technology applications; if she will provide these estimates in tabular form; if she will consider introducing a high trust model similar to the Irish Exemption system to streamline this w…