284. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale underpinning the decision of the NCSE that there be no change to the SNA allocation to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31523/26]
Topics / Special Educational Needs
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsSpecial Educational Needs
2,921 questions from 146 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
2,921
questions
2,881 written, 40 oral
146
TDs have asked
11
parties and groups
Independents counted together
5
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 31 |
| February 2025 | 124 |
| March 2025 | 114 |
| April 2025 | 160 |
| May 2025 | 134 |
| June 2025 | 183 |
| July 2025 | 215 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 113 |
| October 2025 | 76 |
| November 2025 | 191 |
| December 2025 | 122 |
| January 2026 | 163 |
| February 2026 | 283 |
| March 2026 | 270 |
| April 2026 | 167 |
| May 2026 | 181 |
| June 2026 | 171 |
| July 2026 | 101 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 44 |
| October 2026 | 78 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
-
139
-
129
-
115
-
99
-
92
-
86
-
80
-
68
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
285. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to provide additional special classes in the upcoming school year to schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31530/26]
291. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide additional special education hours and resources for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31551/26]
292. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a special education unit in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31557/26]
307. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to open additional special classes at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31634/26]
308. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a list of Department of Education owned sites in Dublin 15; and whether a second special school has been identified as per the recommendation of the D15 Special Education Taskforce. [31636/26]
311. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children seeking a special class or a special school place for the 2026/2027 school year in County Kerry; the number of additional special classes and special school places that will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31660/26]
100. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the Cabinet memo on special education funding for September will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31002/26]
101. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be included in increased funding for special education to complete the three ASD classes in the new school build from September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31003/26]
102. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be included in increased funding for special education from September to update their current ASD class and build an additional one; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31004/26]
103. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be included in increased funding for special education from September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31005/26]
105. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be included in increased funding for special education from September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31007/26]
108. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will confirm the special needs allocation for a school (details supplied) for the forthcoming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31014/26]
135. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will increase funding for summer provision for children with additional needs given that many schools are unable to recruit sufficient teachers to run the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31279/26]
519. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans for her to use Section 37A of the Education Act 1998 to progress new special education classes. [29643/26]
521. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 530 of 24 February 2026, to provide an update on the review of the assistive technology scheme referenced, including the process being followed and the anticipated date for completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29670/26]
522. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason her Department does not accept or give appropriate weight to an individual professional report which clearly states that a child (details supplied) requires assistive technology in order to access the curriculum; and to outline the basis on which such recommendations are being deemed insufficient to meet the Department's criteria; and if s…
530. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale behind the new inclusive special class model, which allows for the enrolment of up to 12 students in post-primary settings, effectively doubling the traditional capacity, while maintaining a staffing allocation of just 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs; if she will address concerns regarding sensory overload, reduced individual attention and the …
532. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children known to the NCSE in need of a special class place in Dublin 15 for September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29790/26]
534. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on an appeal submitted by a school (details supplied) regarding its SNA allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29971/26]
538. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a teacher (details supplied) would, in light of Circular 0038/2026, and their qualifications and experience, be eligible to teach in an autism class or special class within a post-primary school setting; if so, whether this teacher would be remunerated on a post-primary salary scale; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29975/26]
539. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth when she intends to publish full details of the 2026 July Summer Programme for children with special educational needs; the reason for the delay in issuing this information to schools and families; the steps being taken to ensure that schools have sufficient time to recruit the necessary staff to deliver the programme; and if she will make a statem…
551. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total spending on programmes targeting children with special education needs in 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017, 2023 and 2025; the amount of this which is the provision of extra teachers as distinct from other supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30090/26]
553. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children supported by SEN programmes before the NCSE was established; the way that number has grown since the NCSE was put in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30092/26]
555. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way the criteria for allocating resources teachers and special needs assistants for the support of children with different categories of special education needs have changed since the NCSE was established and differ from those used by her Department before its establishment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30094/26]