239. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans for a school (details supplied) and its location and so on; the timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27416/26]
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.
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139
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129
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115
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99
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92
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86
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80
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68
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
243. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will advise regarding a NEPS assessment for a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27446/26]
1199. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools who were requested by the NCSE to open special classes in 2020 to 2025 and to-date in 2026 but were unable to, due to the lack of adequate available existing accommodation, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23530/26]
1200. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the avenues that are available to parents who have not secured a place for their child in a special school and whose child is far down on a waiting list (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23536/26]
1204. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason additional special class places have not been opened at a school (details supplied) to facilitate children with specific additional educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23544/26]
1212. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the guidance her Department and NCSE will be giving to schools in relation to admission to newly sanctioned special classes for September 2026; and the circumstances under which the NCSE or Department direct/advise a school to take enrolments to the new classes. [23575/26]
1213. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is confident that all newly sanctioned special classes for September 2026 will be open by the start of the school year; her views on where there may be delays; and the reason these possible delays are arising. [23576/26]
1216. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when approval will be granted for a school (details supplied) to move to Stage 2B of the tender process for a proposed extension of special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23609/26]
1227. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps that are being taken to secure an appropriate school placement for a child (details supplied) in Clonmel, County Tipperary, with moderate autism spectrum disorder and a mild intellectual disability, who currently has no school place for September 2026; the rationale for the NCSE decision that the child is not eligible for a third year in…
1230. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth f any schools in Fingal are included in the trial to support teachers' capacity meet the needs of dyslexic students, planned to commence in September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23750/26]
1232. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the outcome of the special needs review at a school (details supplied); the number of SNAs the school is entitled to; the way in which this is determined; and if the specific cases of need at the school have been considered. [23776/26]
1243. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the role NEPS is expected to play in cases where its involvement has been sought but no response or engagement has been provided over an extended period; and the oversight mechanisms in place where a student’s distress appears to be linked to failures in disability-related educational access and support provision; and if she will make a statement on…
1246. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be supported in delivering a specialised literacy and reading class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23931/26]
1254. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that two primary schools in County Tipperary expressed interest to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in opening autism spectrum (AS) classes, but were declined on the basis of school size; and if she will request that the NCSE review its policy regarding minimum school size requirements, particularly in circumstance…
1261. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a transparent and accessible review mechanism will be established for families who receive refusals of eligibility for special education placements or supports; when such a mechanism will be operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24104/26]
1264. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the action being taken to address issues in regard to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24107/26]
1265. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of places available for students with additional needs at primary and secondary level, respectively, for the school term starting September 2026, by school and locality; and the number of students on a waiting list for place in respect of same, in tabular form. [24115/26]
1277. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 882 of 18 March 2026, if it is possible to divide the list provided on the NCSE website into special classes and early intervention/autism classes, by county, for each year from 2014 to date in 2026, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24197/26]
1279. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to ensure all children have access to developmental language disorder or speech sound disorder special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24215/26]
1280. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to address the clause in revised circular letter 0024/2025 that is leading to the exclusion of children from developmental language disorder or speech sound disorder (SSD) due to the interpretation of the term “SSD of unknown origin”; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24216/26]
1281. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if clarification been sent to the HSE regarding the exclusion of children from developmental language disorder (DLD) or speech sound disorder (SSD) due to the interpretation of the term “SSD of unknown origin" now that the evidence has been received of such exclusion of children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24217/26]
1282. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has carried out a review on the impact of children with mild general learning disabilities that have been placed in mainstream schools due to the absence of a more appropriate school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24218/26]
1297. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria that are used to determine SNA allocation by school. [24335/26]
1298. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the decision making process on SNA allocation within the NCSE; who makes those decisions within the NCSE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24336/26]
1300. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 528 of 24 March 2026, if she will engage with the NCSE specially in relation to the allocation of SNAs for a school (details supplied); at present there are zero SNAs employed here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24367/26]