136. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will fast-track an application made by a primary school in County Clare (details supplied) to develop an autism class on site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15644/26]
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
-
129
-
115
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99
-
92
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86
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80
-
68
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
459. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider reviewing the SNA allocation for a school (details supplied), considering the recent reduction of 60% to their mainstream SNA allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14009/26]
461. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in Clare, and every county, that will lose SNAs because of the NCSE review, in tabular form; if there will be any job losses, or if persons affected will all be redeployed; the steps being taken to increase the number of SNAs in schools; how the appeals process will operate given that schools could not report pupils who need…
466. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth regarding the SNA allocation reviews in schools, whether there have been changes to the criteria recently, or what the basis is for reductions (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14054/26]
473. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special needs assistant reviews completed in County Louth for academic school years 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14090/26]
474. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special needs assistants allocated to students in County Louth for the current school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14091/26]
475. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special needs assistants employed in County Louth for the 2025 school year; the projected number to be employed for the 2026 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14092/26]
476. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in each county that have appealed their special needs assistant allocation in 2023-2024, 2024-2025, 2025-2026; the number of these appeals that were successful, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14093/26]
481. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the formal impact assessment that has been conducted on the educational and emotional consequences of SNA reductions; the way "reasonable distance" is defined when existing commute times and childcare responsibilities are considered; the reason SNA vacancies no longer being consistently advertised publicly; if she will commit to reviewing the redepl…
487. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department can intervene in the case of a school (details supplied) to ensure that adequate special needs assistant provision is obtained following the SNA review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14189/26]
492. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of reading school places in Dublin south-west; and number of applications for places received for the academic year 2025-2026. [14257/26]
493. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of a case of two students (details supplied); and the options now available to these two students. [14258/26]
495. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will report on the possibility of conducting an urgent reassessment of the needs of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14286/26]
497. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on whether it is acceptable that support for children with disabilities is provided in corridors or outside a school (details supplied); the temporary solutions that can be provided to the school until funding is approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14288/26]
501. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the changes in SNA allocation arising from school-led reviews and NCSE-led reviews from November 2025 to present in County Galway, including allocation before and after reviews, by school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14325/26]
502. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will provide an update on plans to increase the number of dedicated reading schools and reading classes in north Dublin in view of the shortage of places for children with dyslexia; the rationale for requiring families to hold a National Council for Special Education eligibility letter from the previous year before applying; whether she…
505. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason she is redesignating special schools that cater for children with learning disabilities; the supports that will be made available to students with learning disabilities who are forced to attend mainstream schools due to a lack of spaces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14342/26]
506. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students entering secondary level education, who have learning disabilities, have been informed that they do not have a school place in a special needs school or class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14343/26]
507. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason her Department decided to redesignate students with learning disabilities from special needs schools to mainstream schools; the number of special school places that have been revoked; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14344/26]
516. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of early intervention preschool classes for autistic children in mainstream schools and special schools that are being redesignated as primary autism classes-other special classes for the 2026-27 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14381/26]
522. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria and provision for one-to-one support in mainstream classes for children with additional needs; the number of children currently receiving such support; and whether there are plans to expand this support to ensure inclusion for children who cannot access a dedicated SEN class. [14422/26]
524. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports and interventions in place for children who require SEN placements but live outside the catchment area of schools with available SEN classes; and whether additional funding or provisions are being considered to ensure equitable access. [14424/26]
525. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 120 of 12 February 2026, if she will address specifically the funding gap between special classes at primary level and post primary level. [14478/26]
530. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the criteria for assistive technology supports to ensure that children with Down syndrome are not excluded from eligibility, particularly in cases where the child cannot write their name and has clear educational need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14560/26]
531. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the appeals process for assistive technology refusals to ensure transparency and fairness, particularly for children with complex needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14561/26]