8. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether, when considering the provision of modular accommodation for special education classes in schools, her Department assesses the wider curricular, accommodation and long-term development needs of the school, including projected enrolment growth, specialist teaching spaces and future permanent accommodation requirements; and if she will make a s…
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
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Showing questions asked by Barry Heneghan under the heading Special Educational Needs.
63 questions match, newest first.
361. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to ensure that sufficient autism class places are available in the local area of a school (details supplied); whether the provision of modular accommodation or other interim measures is being considered to meet identified demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51223/26]
935. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an application for additional special needs assistant support submitted by a school (details supplied) for the 2026-2027 school year; the current status of the review of the school’s SNA allocation; when a decision is expected to be communicated to the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43525/26]
91. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the increasing pressure on schools due to the growing number of students requiring additional care and educational supports; whether her Department is satisfied that current special needs assistant allocations are meeting the needs of students and schools; the steps being taken to increase the number of SNAs available, particularl…
565. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the identified need for additional autism class places in the catchment area of a school (details supplied); the steps being taken by her Department and the NCSE to meet this need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30124/26]
566. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the consideration by the NCSE of additional autism class provision at a school (details supplied); the reasons a sanction has not yet issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30125/26]
567. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps she will take to ensure that sufficient autism class places are provided in the local area of a school (details supplied); whether modular accommodation or other interim solutions will be considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30126/26]
7. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the level of engagement her Department has had with the request by a school (details supplied) for modular accommodation that can facilitate the opening of two additional autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29156/26]
632. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the basis for the introduction in 2024 of the revised special needs assistant (SNA) deployment toolkit and guidelines used by the National Council for Special Education to determine eligibility for SNA support; the specific criteria applied under this model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18405/26]
663. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is engaging with a school’s (details supplied) request for modular accommodation that can facilitate the opening of two additional autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18743/26]
502. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will provide an update on plans to increase the number of dedicated reading schools and reading classes in north Dublin in view of the shortage of places for children with dyslexia; the rationale for requiring families to hold a National Council for Special Education eligibility letter from the previous year before applying; whether she…
117. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will meet with the principal of a school (details supplied) to discuss the urgent need for additional autism class provision within their school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11072/26]
202. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions her Department is taking to ensure that every child with special educational needs can access an appropriate school place in their local area, including the timely provision of special classes and special school places, adequate special education teacher and special needs assistant allocations, and access to therapies and supports withi…
536. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans in place to expand ASD special class provision at post-primary level in an area (details supplied); the current assessment by her Department and the NCSE regarding unmet need for ASD class places for girls in this area; the steps being taken to ensure that schools are supported to open ASD classes; and if she will make a statement on the …
261. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of cases where a child with clear and emerging autism related needs is unable to access an available and fully resourced autism special class placement in their existing school solely due to the operation of rigid notification deadlines under a circular (details supplied), including the requirement to notify the National Council for…
264. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children nationally which are at risk of losing an existing special school placement each year due to ineligibility under the current additional-year criteria; the safeguards which exist to prevent inappropriate displacement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7219/26]
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]
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]
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]
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]