32. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is sufficient budget, capacity and time to ensure that all children with a special educational need will have an appropriate school place this September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29069/26]
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
36. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the rollout of special classes in Cork east. [29170/26]
47. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will clarify the working definition used by her Department for the term ‘inclusion’ and for the term ‘complex needs with respect to Departmental policy related to special schools and/or mainstream schooling for children with additional or complex needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13306/26]
51. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the provision of special classes in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28167/26]
55. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views that all the special classes sanctioned for September 2026 will be delivered; if lessons have been learned from the failure to deliver same for the past year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29167/26]
66. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth to fully outline the rationale behind the opening of the special classes/hubs in mainstream schools, which will now allow schools enrol up to 12 students per class; the organisations and schools that were consulted on this process; the role the NCSE played in this decision making process; the additional supports that will be made available to schools …
71. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the policy rationale for the introduction of a new category of ‘inclusive special class’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29026/26]
73. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth how the application process for special education teaching hours is administered by her Department, including how allocations to individual schools are determined and how the needs profile of a school is reflected in the final allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28417/26]
75. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an application for €100,000 in funding for three years for educational supports using the data from the PRIME project for a school (details supplied) in Limerick following a visit by the Minister for Special Education, if the funding will be allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28032/26]
76. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who are in need of a place in a special classroom and have not had an offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29168/26]
84. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department is coordinating with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to ensure sufficient school places and in-school supports for children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13251/26]
85. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the work currently being undertaken by her Department to upskill teachers to support children with special educational needs, including through initial teacher education and continuous professional development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28418/26]
90. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the Dublin 15 Special Education Taskforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29033/26]
99. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in north Kildare that are on a waiting list for a local primary ASD place; whether forward planning for ASD provision is undertaken on an area-based basis in identified growth areas in north Kildare; the additional ASD class provision planned locally for the 2026 and 2027 school years; and if she will make a statement on the…
101. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on special education provision in Dublin mid-west, including new builds and extensions in mainstream settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27575/26]
108. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the response of her Department to concerns raised by disability organisations regarding the rollout of new inclusive special classes for the 2026/2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29010/26]
109. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will take steps to ensure that a school (details supplied) is provided with the funding needed for additional autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28753/26]
111. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to establish another special school in east Cork, specifically between Carrigtwohill and Youghal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28763/26]
115. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the early intervention supports in place for children with dyslexia in classroom settings; when they will be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27574/26]
355. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the justification for the lack of therapeutic supports, such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and psychology within school environments, leaving schools as ‘de facto’ providers without necessary resources; her plans to address this ongoing issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13310/26]
359. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools in counties Wicklow and Wexford that have had their allocation of SNA hours reduced; the number of schools that have lost their SNA positions; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14357/26]
360. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason SNA hours are being cut in primary schools across the country; the reason the increase of 1,717 SNA positions has not been delivered, as promised in Budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14358/26]
361. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to provide training for teachers working with children with visual impairment; if she will engage with charities with already-developed resources ready to be deployed for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29227/26]
362. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific training modules that deal with the question of visual impairment in the state-subsidised SNA upskilling programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29228/26]
374. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will be announcing any additional special education classes for the upcoming school year; the consideration being given to applications from schools that are still outstanding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29350/26]