266. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current level of oversubscription for special school places nationally and in Dublin; the number of applications which were received for the 2026-2027 school year to date; the measures which are being taken to increase capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7221/26]
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
267. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average processing time for exemption or appeal requests relating to special school placements; whether expedited procedures exist where a child faces immediate loss of a placement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7222/26]
42. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the case of an autistic child (details supplied) for whom a school place is not available in September 2026 despite many efforts will be examined; if steps will be taken to ensure this child is provided with a school place this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6676/26]
44. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the case of a young child without a special school place (details supplied); the action she will take to ensure that this child is supported; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6651/26]
45. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Education and Youth when her Department was made aware as per a recent news report (details supplied) that a ‘very small handful of children in Dublin’ are without places in a special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6666/26]
46. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being undertaken by her Department to ensure that children who have received rejection letters for a special school place will be accommodated as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6667/26]
69. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration has been given to instructing the NCSE to provide a county-by-county breakdown of special class numbers, separated into primary and post-primary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6829/26]
70. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of special classes throughout the country; to provide a breakdown of this number with relation to school type (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6830/26]
71. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasoning behind the funding discrepancies between primary and post-primary autism classes (detailed supplied); if her Department has consulted the NCSE in relation to equalising this funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6831/26]
78. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special school places in each primary and secondary school in Dublin 2, 4 and 6; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6911/26]
457. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new special classes planned for both primary and secondary schools in Newbridge, County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5487/26]
469. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth to examine a policy issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5520/26]
472. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to ensure a child (details supplied) can access an appropriate school placement without further delay; if her Department will sanction an additional special class place in this case; the timeline for any such decision; the reasons for the repeated delays in the delivery of modular accommodation linked to the alternative placement…
474. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children which have been notified to the NCSE after the 1 October 2025 deadline, looking for a special class placement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5612/26]
480. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there will be a new special class established at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5645/26]
484. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children awaiting a special class or special school placement as of September 2025; and the measures under the National Council for Special Education plan to address this. [5683/26]
491. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm a new special school in Lucan (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. [5798/26]
492. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will meet with the principal of a school (details supplied) to discuss the urgent need for additional autism class provision within their school, and the wider community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5830/26]
495. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding an ASA application by a school (details supplied) for a new modular classroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5860/26]
499. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special classes in Newbridge, County Kildare, in both primary and secondary schools on 1 April 2015 and in each of the years since then. [5865/26]
501. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm that a formal request has issued to open a second ASD class at a school (details supplied). [5867/26]
502. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide senior-level oversight to ensure ASD provision in Dublin 7 reflects verified demand, including provision for girls. [5868/26]
505. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a letter of eligibility has not been issued to a child (details supplied) in South Tipperary who has applied through the parents notify portal for a letter of eligibility; if she will provide reassurance that when reports are submitted after the 1 October deadline that this will not prevent families from getting letters of eligibility; a…
506. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ask Department officials to examine and seek to resolve an issue (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5926/26]
522. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the ongoing absence of speech and language therapy, SLT, support for the language class at a school (details supplied); and to advise when a replacement SLT will be provided, or the alternative arrangements can be put in place to ensure that the children’s therapeutic and educational needs continue to be met. [6024/26]