495. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the effectiveness of funding for children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, and dyscalculia is monitored; the outcomes that are tracked; and whether there is evidence that current funding levels meet the needs of children both in and outside of school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16965/26]
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
496. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether funding is allocated specifically for training teachers and support staff in supporting children with dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia; the amount of such funding; whether there are plans to expand professional development in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16966/26]
501. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a decision on SNA allocation for a school (details supplied) can be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17013/26]
502. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the case of a child (details supplied) with a diagnosed global disability, ADHD and autism to secure a school placement. [17014/26]
503. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she considers that the provision of two hours per day meets a child’s assessed educational and developmental needs (details supplied); and the steps she will take to ensure the child receives a full and appropriate school placement in line with their needs. [17015/26]
504. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports available to a family (details supplied). [17016/26]
505. Deputy Máire Devine asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently review a case to ensure a child (details supplied) receives adequate educational provision. [17017/26]
507. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools in Kilkenny and Carlow and in each county which have access to an SNA; the number of schools that do not have access to an SNA; the number of SNA’s allocated to each school, by county for each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form [17025/26]
516. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider the application by a school (details supplied) to open a second special class for children with autism, which will meet the documented demand in the wider geographical area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17058/26]
715. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 846 of 24 February 2026, the specific legal basis of the assertion that parents bear a lifetime and or indefinite legal responsibility for adult children with intellectual disabilities; if this legal basis is statutory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17018/26]
724. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she will make appropriate funding available for school-age childcare with additional needs, as currently there is funding available for preschool-age children through the AIM and AIM Plus programmes, subsidising up to 30-hours-per-week, but once a child transitions to primary school, this funding completely ceases, despite their care …
952. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Health if she will commit to the sanctioning of two additional autism classes for a school (details supplied); when the next tranche of sanctioned classes will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17108/26]
338. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to publish in full the current national criteria, weighting factors, assessment instruments and decision thresholds used by the National Council for Special Education in determining annual Special Needs Assistant allocations to primary schools; and to confirm whether any amendments, recalibrations or procedural changes were introduced for the 2026/27 …
339. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary schools notified of a reduction of two or more Special Needs Assistant posts for the 2026/27 school year prior to the decision to pause the review process; and to provide a county-by-county breakdown of same. [15926/26]
340. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total whole-time equivalent Special Needs Assistant allocation to primary schools in County Cork for the 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026/27 school years respectively; and to confirm whether the 2026/27 figure reflects the position before or after the pause of the review process. [15927/26]
341. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a formal impact assessment, equality screening, child rights assessment, financial analysis or cost modelling exercise was conducted prior to issuing Special Needs Assistant reduction notifications for the 2026/27 school year; and, if so, to provide the title, date of completion and authoring body of each such assessment. [15928/26]
352. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown of the new special classes announced to date for the 2026 Academic Year according to the NCSE categories of special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16061/26]
354. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the opening hours for a school (details supplied); to confirm that all students attending the school are doing so on a full school day basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16076/26]
356. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Education and Youth what the pause in the deployment of special needs assistants means for school communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16103/26]
116. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's position regarding reduced school hours for children attending special schools; if this is regular practice in such school settings; if parental consent is sought for a reduced school day; the resolution mechanisms in place in cases where consent is not provided by the parent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15253/26…
117. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's position regarding periods of suspension imposed on students attending special schools; if this is regular practice in such school settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15254/26]
118. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an additional ASD class for a school and family (details supplied) will be considered, given that the school want another ASD class, and has the space for an ASD class;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15270/26]
120. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of appeals by individual schools at either primary, secondary or special school level in each of the past three years to the National Council for Special Education in relation to SNA allocation to schools; the number of appeals which succeeded in increased provision; the number which were unsuccessful, by year, in tabular form; and if she …
123. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place to ensure that the most experienced SETs are working with the children with the highest level of need in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15344/26]
129. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the Stage 1 Submission regarding an ASD Class at a school (details supplied) which was submitted in April 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15419/26]