1408. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she agrees with the NCSE's view that special needs assistants (SNAs) should be primarily or only provided to children with physical care needs; if she will work to ensure that children with educational needs, children who need help with emotional regulation or sensory overload are not excluded from automatically receiving an SNA; and if she will …
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
1409. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she can provide an estimate on the number of children who were previously entitled to an SNA but from whom an SNA will be removed this year. [25486/26]
1410. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who lost their SNA allocation in each of the past ten years in tabular form. [25487/26]
1411. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who qualified for an SNA in each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [25488/26]
1413. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a school (details supplied) is expected to be given approval to move forward with its plans to establish a special class for children with additional educational needs and increase capacity in four currently undersized mainstream classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25498/26]
1432. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that a child (details supplied) is due to start junior infants in 2026-2027 and has applied to all special schools and special classes throughout Carlow and Kilkenny, all have no availability; the options available this child's parents; if she will instruct her officials examine options for this family; and if she will make a st…
1435. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth when she will sanction a new ASD unit for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25746/26]
1442. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) has been informed that the number of hours sanctioned to the school for supporting pupils with additional learning needs has been cut; if her Department will roll back on this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25809/26]
1468. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current and projected provision of early intervention and special class places in the Cork east constituency, including for children with mild general learning disability; the number of children awaiting an appropriate school place; and the steps being taken to expand provision. [26053/26]
1469. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department is aware of concerns from families regarding insufficient special class and appropriate school-place provision for children with mild general learning disability, Down syndrome and related needs in the Cork east constituency; and the action planned in response. [26054/26]
1470. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth her current plans to ensure that children with Down syndrome are given supports in the transition from primary to secondary education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26069/26]
1474. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on his plans for ASD classes in primary schools in Malahide, Portmarnock and Kinsealy. [26117/26]
1478. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth she is aware of the need for additional SEN places in County Meath; her plans to progress the two SEN and one mainstream class building project at a school (details supplied) in order to help meet existing and projected demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26301/26]
1518. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a review of a school's SET hours is being considered (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26970/26]
1520. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who will not have an appropriate school place for September 2026 due to the shortage of places in special schools and ASD classes. [27034/26]
1537. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding an application for a fifth special class at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27171/26]
1538. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the ASA scheme application lodged by a school (details supplied); if the project can be prioritised based on the need for SEN places in the school's catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27172/26]
248. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 910 of 18 March 2026, if she will provide the exact numerical data requested; the exact number of applications or expressions of interest from primary and post-primary schools in County Wexford to open special classes that have been refused, paused, or delayed solely due to her Department not sanctioning modular…
249. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the recently revised assessment of need framework limits or reduces access to cognitive assessment for children, including in cases where intellectual disability is not suspected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23167/26]
250. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the recently revised assessment of need ensures that children with uneven developmental profiles, including those who may be gifted or twice-exceptional that is, children with both high ability and additional needs such as autism, ADHD, or dyslexia, will be appropriately identified within the system; and if she will make a statement on the matte…
251. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has conducted any impact assessment on how the revised assessment of need model may affect the identification of children whose needs are masked by high cognitive ability or compensatory functioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23169/26]
252. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if access to cognitive or psychological assessment remains available where there is evidence of significant intra-individual discrepancy, asynchronous development, or unexplained underachievement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23170/26]
253. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth the training or guidance is being provided to assessment officers and multidisciplinary teams to ensure that complex presentations, including masking and twice-exceptionality, are recognised under the revised model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23171/26]
273. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason in certain cases, an official from the National Council for Special Education does not visit a school applying for a special class placement to assess the suitability of its facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23357/26]
274. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the person or body responsible for determining which schools are awarded special classes through the National Council for Special Education; the criteria used in making such determinations; and the measures in place to ensure transparency in this decision-making process. [23358/26]