182. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding any engagement she has had with unions representing SNAs that have been told they will not have a job in their current school for the 2026/2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13402/26]
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
584. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a full response will issue to a person (details supplied) and this Deputy regarding a child's special education school placement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11589/26]
593. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department can request the NCSE and SENO to engage with the family of child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11698/26]
594. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the measures being taken to address the ongoing issues surrounding the application process for suitable school places for children with special educational needs in North Tipperary; the reason parents in this area are unable to obtain eligibility letters for their children that missed the October deadline due to the absence of psychologis…
595. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) could retain the services of four special needs assistants whose positions have been recommended to be cut; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11709/26]
646. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider introducing a special education equipment grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12280/26]
647. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the deadline to notify the NCSE regarding special class places for the 2027-2028 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12282/26]
648. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the strategies in place to notify parents and schools about the NCSE deadline for special class places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12283/26]
650. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will consider providing special schools with an AP1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12285/26]
651. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide pathways to enable mobility between the health and education sector to transition into special education posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12286/26]
668. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for the reduction of two mainstream special needs assistant (SNA) posts in a primary school (details supplied) following a recent SNA review; the way in which her Department ensures that the ongoing behavioural, emotional and care needs of children in mainstream settings are adequately considered during such reviews; if she will review…
670. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason letters of eligibility for young people with special educational needs are tied to the 1 October date given assessments occur all year; if she is aware that this new process is causing distress to parents; if she plans to review the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12419/26]
671. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware there are currently young people in Dublin mid-west with diagnoses who are precluded from applying for a school place as a consequence of the 1 October cut-off date for eligibility letters; if she is aware there are also young people with diagnoses and offers of long-awaited school places in appropriate settings, who are unable to acc…
672. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the available supports and the route for access for the supports available for educational provision to young people with special educational needs who cannot secure appropriate school places due to not having a letter of eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12421/26]
673. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth to urgently review the case of a school (details supplied) that has suffered a significant loss in SNA numbers for the upcoming school year [12452/26]
676. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Youth to examine the case for provision of an additional ASD room in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12497/26]
681. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline the measures being taken to increase the number of autism class and special school places at post-primary level, in light of pupils completing primary autism classes who are unable to secure appropriate placements due to capacity shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12555/26]
682. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that transition planning for autistic pupils is carried out in line with NCSE guidance, and that children are provided with placements appropriate to their assessed needs, sensory profiles and support requirements, rather than being offered any available place where no suitable provision exists; and if she will make a statement on …
684. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a primary school (details supplied) has been notified of a reduction of 1.5 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts in its allocation for the coming school year; the criteria and assessment process used to determine this reduction; whether her Department has considered the impact this reduction will have on pupils with additional needs, staff c…
687. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth with regard to the recent allocations of special classes for County Cork, the reason no new special classes have been allocated to the entire area of west Cork (details supplied); and if she can confirm that west Cork schools will be included in the allocation of the new special classes. [12613/26]
695. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the SNA allocation for a school (details supplied); if she is aware that the proposed reduction of a .5 SNA post will leave 164 children, including those with chronic medical conditions (epilepsy and asthma) and severe behavioural needs, with only one SNA; if she has considered the safety implications of this reduction given tha…
703. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the proportion of DEIS and non-DEIS schools that currently operate one special class; the proportion which operate more than three special classes, by level, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12858/26]
708. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Education and Youth when an application for assistive technology for a student (details supplied) will be processed and granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12883/26]
709. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the ASD class place for a child (details supplied). [12908/26]
92. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children notified to the NCSE before the October parent notification deadline; the number of children notified to the NCSE after the October deadline; the number of those children currently without an offer of a school place for September 2026; the measures she is taking to address this to ensure every child has an appropriate school …