528. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students in post primary school with an autism diagnosis, requiring a special class, which are waiting on a special class placement since transitioning from primary to post primary school. [8077/26]
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
529. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will direct the NCSE to provide specific CPD on the way in which to run post primary autism classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8078/26]
530. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to a change in SNA allocation at a school (details supplied) which will be reduced by two full-time SNA staff from September 2026; the reason for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8081/26]
531. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an application by a school (details supplied) to establish a special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8089/26]
532. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools that applied for a special class in Kildare for the 2025-2026 school year; the name of each school; the number of special class places granted in Kildare for that school year; the names of these schools, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8100/26]
533. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in Kildare that applied for a special class for the 2026-2027 school year; the name of each school; the number which have been granted to date for that school year; the name of each of the successful schools, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8101/26]
534. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school which gives priority enrolment to a post-primary autism special class, to students already enrolled in the school (details supplied) contravenes either the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 or circular 0039/2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8102/26]
536. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans in place to expand ASD special class provision at post-primary level in an area (details supplied); the current assessment by her Department and the NCSE regarding unmet need for ASD class places for girls in this area; the steps being taken to ensure that schools are supported to open ASD classes; and if she will make a statement on the …
538. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth to address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); if the attention of her Department has been drawn to this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8148/26]
539. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a permanent special school will be delivered for County Monaghan; if a location has been chosen for this school; if design plans are in place; the timeline for construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8154/26]
542. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth the options which are available to ensure a person (details supplied) will get a place in an appropriate school in the local area. [8255/26]
548. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if special education needs organisers have the capacity to refer children with special needs who require a space in a special needs school to a mainstream school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8330/26]
550. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Youth to address the urgent need for additional autism class provision in the West Sligo area, given that only one place remains available in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8338/26]
561. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth following the publication of the NDP Sectoral Investment Plan for 2026-2030, the funding which will be provided to the provision of additional special classes to meet annual needs each year through just repurposing existing accommodation. [8383/26]
571. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether schools are required to formally notify her Department when a child is removed from, or ceases attending, mainstream primary or post-primary school due to the fact the school has stated it cannot meet the child’s additional or special educational needs, including autism, ADHD or related conditions; whether such notifications are currently made…
572. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in each of the past five years who have ceased attending mainstream primary or post-primary schools due to their additional or special educational needs, including autism, ADHD, or related conditions; the number who were subsequently referred to iScoil or other alternative education programmes; the formal monitoring and oversigh…
586. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether a special class is open in a school (details supplied) in County Kildare. [8525/26]
588. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a county by county breakdown of newly established special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8546/26]
612. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth his plans to announce more special education class places; and if a school (details supplied) will be included in the allocation as the need for the class has been recognised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8754/26]
613. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth his plans to announce any more special education class places and if a school (details supplied) will be included in the allocation as the need for the class has been recognised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8755/26]
255. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the north-west counties of Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Mayo, Roscommon and Cavan have been excluded in the current NCSE recruitment drive for senior and staff grade occupational therapists and speech and language therapists for the National Educational Therapy Service in special schools with the plan for it to be extended to special classes i…
259. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the policy of her Department in relation to the eligibility of children to access autism special classes, in particular where a child has completed the assessment process over a prolonged period and has been diagnosed as being eligible for an autism special class but missed the NCSE portal closing date of the 1 October and where therefore no confirm…
261. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of cases where a child with clear and emerging autism related needs is unable to access an available and fully resourced autism special class placement in their existing school solely due to the operation of rigid notification deadlines under a circular (details supplied), including the requirement to notify the National Council for…
264. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children nationally which are at risk of losing an existing special school placement each year due to ineligibility under the current additional-year criteria; the safeguards which exist to prevent inappropriate displacement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7219/26]
265. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to review the current criteria governing eligibility for an additional year in special schools; her views that the criteria is too restrictive in certain cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7220/26]