Special Educational Needs
An official questions-paper heading. 2,799 questions (33 oral, 2,766 written), first 2025-01-22, latest 2026-07-28.
Questions under this heading, per month
Jan 2025Jul 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 31 |
| Feb 2025 | 124 |
| Mar 2025 | 114 |
| Apr 2025 | 160 |
| May 2025 | 134 |
| Jun 2025 | 183 |
| Jul 2025 | 215 |
| Sep 2025 | 113 |
| Oct 2025 | 76 |
| Nov 2025 | 191 |
| Dec 2025 | 122 |
| Jan 2026 | 163 |
| Feb 2026 | 283 |
| Mar 2026 | 270 |
| Apr 2026 | 167 |
| May 2026 | 181 |
| Jun 2026 | 171 |
| Jul 2026 | 101 |
Addressed to
| Department | Questions |
|---|---|
| Education | 2,737 |
| Children | 37 |
| Health | 17 |
| Further and Higher Education | 5 |
| Social | 3 |
Debates under the same heading
Dáil debate sections whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
Sean Fleming
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
291. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) has expressed an interest in facilitating a special class for the coming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21199/26]
Sean Fleming
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
294. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) has expressed an interest in a special class being established in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21270/26]
John Clendennen
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
296. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the SNA review as carried out by the NCSE for (details supplied) prior to the announced pause; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21307/26]
John Clendennen
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
297. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the roll out of the education therapy services especially in County Offaly, as detailed in the Department’s press release of 6 February 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21308/26]
John Clendennen
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
298. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a school (details supplied) will be included in the next phase of the education therapy services; when the therapy services are likely to be operational in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21309/26]
Pa Daly
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
300. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria used to determine which special schools are included in the Special Education Therapy Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21328/26]
Pa Daly
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
301. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) was not selected for inclusion in the Special Education Therapy Service; whether consideration will be given to extending the service to the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21329/26]
Pa Daly
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
302. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the financial burden placed on families whose children cannot access therapy services through the Special Education Therapy Service or Children’s Disability Network Teams and are therefore required to access therapy privately; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21330/26]
Pa Daly
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
303. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has assessed the cost impact on families who must access private therapy services for their children due to a lack of available State-provided therapies, where sessions can cost approximately €90 per session; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21331/26]
Eamon Scanlon
written
2026-03-19 · to Education
304. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an appeal in relation to additional SNA support in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21335/26]
Matt Carthy
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
606. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a status update of the proposal by a school (details supplied) to develop two ASD modular units within the existing play area of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18250/26]
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
607. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure there are enough places with appropriate supports in existing primary and secondary schools in Dublin 10 for children with autism and mild to moderate special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18251/26]
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
608. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth in noting that land has been identified for education facilities in Park West Dublin 10, if she will consider a purpose built school for children with autism and mild to moderate special needs as part of the Park West-Cherry Orchard Local Area Plan. [18252/26]
Paula Butterly
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
617. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the current criteria governing the sanctioning of autism spectrum special classes, in view of a situation at a primary school (details supplied) which has successfully opened its first AS class and has now been sanctioned for a modular build providing the physical capacity for a second class; the rationale for…
Ged Nash
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
621. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review a policy (details supplied), a consequence of which sees smaller minority-faith based schools disadvantaged in respect of the development of AS special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18343/26]
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
626. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the opening of a new special school in Monasterevin, Co. Kildare , [18367/26]
Darren O'Rourke
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
627. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a county-by-county breakdown of each special class funded and approved to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18373/26]
Darren O'Rourke
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
628. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of SNAs are projected to be employed within the education system by Quarter 3 of this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18374/26]
Mark Ward
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
630. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a new special school (details supplied) has been provided with the necessary resources to provide education to students attending on a full school day basis; whether the necessary allocation of SNAs to support students safely has been provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18386/26]
Barry Heneghan
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
632. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the basis for the introduction in 2024 of the revised special needs assistant (SNA) deployment toolkit and guidelines used by the National Council for Special Education to determine eligibility for SNA support; the specific criteria applied under this model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18405/26]
Peter 'Chap' Cleere
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
633. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider allocating a minimum of one SNA to every school in Ireland as a base line, with upwards-only allocations going forward to allow for specific need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18430/26]
John Paul O'Shea
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
634. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a breakdown of category, such as autism/ASD, moderate, severe, and so on, of all special classes approved to date, per county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18441/26]
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
635. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently consider the need for a school placement for a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18474/26]
George Lawlor
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
637. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the acute lack of ASD unit places for children attending schools in County Wexford, and in the south east generally; the steps she intends to take to address this urgent need; if she will takes steps to ensure that a suitable place is found for a child (details supplied) who has been unable to f…
Conor D McGuinness
written
2026-03-18 · to Education
649. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current position regarding the pause on the allocation of additional special needs assistant posts; and whether this pause applies to schools that are still awaiting the outcome of reviews or appeals relating to their SNA allocations. [18672/26]