Questions

676. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline what interim education provision (including home tuition, outreach teaching, temporary placements, remote or blended supports or other measures) is being put in place for pupils of a school (details supplied) during the closure; how these supports are being allocated and accessed, and how the Department is ensuring that these children’s rig…

828. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to statements from the National Council for Special Education that special class places are available in Cork, to clarify the number of vacant and immediately available special class places currently in Cork; the names of the schools where these places exist; the type of special classes involved (for example autism classes or other specialist …

829. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in Cork that are currently awaiting placement in special classes for the upcoming school year; the way in which this number compares with the number of vacant places identified by the National Council for Special Education; and the steps being taken to ensure that children without placements are offered appropriate places withou…

124. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth in the context of the Education Plan 2025 and commitments relating to cost-of-living supports and inclusive education, the measures currently in place to reduce the cost burden of school uniforms on families, including steps taken to limit compulsory branded items and exclusive supplier arrangements; and whether her Department has issued guidance to s…

125. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether national guidance has been issued requiring schools to provide reasonable accommodation within uniform policies for children with sensory processing difficulties or additional needs; if no if such binding guidance has issued, whether she plans to introduce same in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17353/26]

338. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to publish in full the current national criteria, weighting factors, assessment instruments and decision thresholds used by the National Council for Special Education in determining annual Special Needs Assistant allocations to primary schools; and to confirm whether any amendments, recalibrations or procedural changes were introduced for the 2026/27 …

339. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools notified of a reduction of two or more Special Needs Assistant posts for the 2026/27 school year prior to the decision to pause the review process; and to provide a county-by-county breakdown of same. [15926/26]

340. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistant allocation to primary schools in County Cork for the 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 school years respectively; and to confirm whether the 2026/27 figure reflects the position before or after the pause of the review process. [15927/26]

341. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a formal impact assessment, equality screening, child rights assessment, financial analysis or cost modelling exercise was conducted prior to issuing Special Needs Assistant reduction notifications for the 2026/27 school year; and, if so, to provide the title, date of completion and authoring body of each such assessment. [15928/26]

319. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether in recent special needs assistant review cycles, any revised guidance has issued to the National Council for Special Education distinguishing between level 2 and level 3 primary care needs for the purpose of determining reductions in SNA allocation; and if she will clarify the policy basis for any such distinction [13546/26]

320. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the safeguards which exist within the special needs assistant review appeals process to ensure that schools are not discouraged from lodging appeals; whether any departmental guidance addresses the possibility of further allocation changes following an appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13547/26]

321. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the quality assurance procedures that are in place within the National Council for Special Education to ensure accuracy in SNA allocation correspondence issued to schools; whether any internal review has taken place following instances of incorrect allocation notifications, and if she will outline the governance framework governing such communications…

322. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth Education the current operational status of the special needs assistant redeployment scheme referenced in Circular 0032/2025; whether it is fully operational nationwide; and the way allocation reductions are managed in schools pending full implementation of the scheme [13549/26]

323. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools in County Cork that have experienced a reduction in special needs assistant allocation following National Council for Special Education review during the 2024 and 2025 school years; and whether her Department is satisfied that reductions are being applied consistently and proportionately [13550/26]

362. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether any formal or informal guidance has been issued by her Department or by the National Council for Special Education in the 2025–26 review cycle indicating that pupils in fifth and sixth class in mainstream primary settings should not be considered eligible for special needs assistant support solely by reference to their class level; and if she …

363. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the eligibility criteria for special needs assistant allocation are based exclusively on documented care needs rather than age or class grouping; and to outline the current policy position governing this. [13780/26]

364. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether any revised circular, directive, operational instruction or internal policy guidance was issued to the National Council for Special Education or to Special Educational Needs Organisers in advance of the 2026 SNA review cycle altering the weighting of mainstream primary care needs; and if so, to provide details. [13781/26]

365. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the SNA appeals mechanism permits a reduction in allocation beyond that originally notified where an appeal is submitted; and to outline the procedural safeguards in place to ensure that the exercise of the right of appeal does not expose schools to additional allocation loss. [13782/26]

366. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has conducted any review of the operation of the SNA redeployment scheme for the 2025–2026 school year; to provide the number of SNA posts redeployed nationally in that period; and to outline how redeployment interacts with reductions notified to schools. [13783/26]

367. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the net national change in mainstream SNA posts, excluding special class allocations, between the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 school years; and to provide the number of primary schools experiencing a reduction of one or more full-time equivalent SNA posts for September 2026. [13784/26]

150. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the national criteria and methodology used by the NCSE in determining annual SNA allocations to primary schools; whether this methodology has changed for the 2026/27 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13225/26]

151. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools notified of a reduction of two or more SNA posts for the 2026/27 school year and if she will provide a county-by-county breakdown [13226/26]

152. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether any impact assessment has been carried out on the educational and care implications of SNA allocation reductions; and if she will outline same [13227/26]

153. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of SNAs allocated to primary schools in Cork for the 2024-2025, 2025-2026 and projected 2026-2027 school years respectively [13228/26]

152. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department maintains, receives, or collates any national dataset on the number of children in mainstream primary and post-primary schools who are placed on reduced or partial timetables for reasons related to additional or special educational needs; if so, the number recorded in each of the past five years, broken down by year and school l…