Special Educational Needs

650. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the number of schools currently awaiting the outcome of SNA allocation reviews, including a breakdown by county; and the average length of time schools are waiting for a decision. [18673/26]

651. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the interim guidance which has been issued to schools that are awaiting the outcome of SNA reviews, particularly where the absence of a decision is impacting their ability to provide appropriate supports to students with additional needs. [18674/26]

652. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the interim supports, if any, that are being made available to schools that are considering measures such as implementing a reduced school day for students who require additional support due to insufficient SNA provision. [18675/26]

653. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to ensure that students with additional needs are not adversely affected while SNA reviews are pending; and when outstanding decisions are expected to be finalised. [18676/26]

655. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a letter of eligibility has been issued to enable a child (details supplied) to attend a special school; to clarify if this matter has now been resolved and a letter has issued; if not, the steps the NCSE and the Department will take to ensure that the child can take their place in school this year; and if she will mak…

656. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth why there is a reported shortage of guidance in relation to how parents can access letters of support to enable their children with special educational needs to obtain school places; given that this appears to be impacting on a large number of families; given the information regarding the requirement was made too late for…

662. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions her Department is taking to increase the number of specific speech and language disorder / developmental language disorder special classes, given the Taoiseach’s recent comments (details supplied) in Dáil Éireann recognising the strong outcomes associated with such classes and his commitment to engage with the Ministe…

663. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is engaging with a school’s (details supplied) request for modular accommodation that can facilitate the opening of two additional autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18743/26]

664. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasons for the recent closure of a school (details supplied), including the dates on which the school has been closed; the formal health and safety or other legal powers relied upon by the patron or board; and any directions or guidance issued by his Department to the school or patron in relation to this closure. [18751/26]

665. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is satisfied that the prolonged closure of a school (details supplied) is compatible with the State’s constitutional obligation to provide for the education of every child and with statutory duties in respect of children with special educational needs [18752/26]

666. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific measures she will put in place to ensure that a special school cannot again be closed for an extended period because of behavioural incidents or staff injury, including mandatory contingency and continuity-of-education plans for all special schools; clear national protocols favouring partial or phased provision rather …

667. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will introduce binding national guidelines on the management of dysregulation and high-risk behaviour in special schools, including positive behaviour support, trauma-informed practice, and de-escalation approaches, with monitoring and compliance mechanisms; and if so, the timeline for their development and implementati…

668. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the risk-assessment, occupational health and staff support frameworks that will be mandated in all special schools in order to reduce the risk of staff injury while maintaining children’s access to in-person education; and whether these frameworks will be subject to regular independent review. [18755/26]

669. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the long-term corrective actions being implemented in a school (details supplied) to address the underlying causes of dysregulation and staff injury, including changes to class sizes and staffing ratios; additional specialist and substitute staff; enhanced training, in-school therapeutic supports; any environmental or infrastructur…

670. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to commit to a time-bound, fully resourced action plan for a school (details supplied), co-designed with parents and staff, with clear milestones, reporting requirements and accountability structures to restore and sustain safe, full-time education for all enrolled pupils; and if she will publish this plan. [18757/26]

671. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has assessed the extent to which shortages in therapeutic supports and specialist staff in special schools contribute to increased dysregulation and health and safety incidents; and if so, the national measures she will introduce to ensure that all special schools have adequate therapeutic and behavioural sup…

672. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the assessment, if any, which was carried out of the impact of the closure of a school (details supplied) on the rights of the child, including the right to education and to equality of treatment for children with disabilities; whether any child-rights or equality impact assessment was completed; and if she will publish any such as…

673. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she accepts that prolonged denial of in-person education for a cohort of highly vulnerable children with complex needs, through the closure of a special school, would not be considered acceptable in a mainstream setting; and the steps she will take to ensure parity of treatment between children in special schools and those …

674. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to commission an independent review of the circumstances leading to the closure of a school (details supplied) including consultation with parents and staff, with a view to making system-wide recommendations on how the State can better vindicate the educational rights of vulnerable children and avoid similar situations in future; a…

675. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth state whether they are satisfied that parents of pupils attending a school (details supplied) have been provided with timely, accurate and sufficient information on the reasons for the closure, the expected duration, and interim educational arrangements; and if not, what minimum standards on communication will the Department now pu…

676. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline what interim education provision (including home tuition, outreach teaching, temporary placements, remote or blended supports or other measures) is being put in place for pupils of a school (details supplied) during the closure; how these supports are being allocated and accessed, and how the Department is ensuring that …

679. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the educational supports available to students with dyslexia at primary and secondary level; if all supports are available in all schools, including access to assistive technology; the route to access the supports; the route to access supports when they are not being provided by a school; and if she will make a statemen…

686. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the rollout of the education therapy service for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18827/26]

687. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the acute lack of ASD unit places for children attending primary schools in County Wexford; the steps she plans to take to address this urgent need; if she will ensure that a suitable place is found for a child (details supplied) who has been unable to find a placement for the next school year; and if she will …

688. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place to ensure that primary school teachers receive mandatory training in supporting children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; whether she will outline the level of ADHD-specific training currently required in initial teacher education and continuing professional development; and if sh…