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]
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
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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 prioritising larger…
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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 find a placement for …
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]
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]