Topics / Special Educational Needs

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Special 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
MonthQuestions
January 202531
February 2025124
March 2025114
April 2025160
May 2025134
June 2025183
July 2025215
August 20250
September 2025113
October 202576
November 2025191
December 2025122
January 2026163
February 2026283
March 2026270
April 2026167
May 2026181
June 2026171
July 2026101
August 20260
September 202644
October 202678

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.

  • 100% RDR3 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Aontú77 from 2 TDs · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil539 from 37 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael416 from 24 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party40 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent169 from 13 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland121 from 4 TDs · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party276 from 11 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity133 from 3 TDs · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin902 from 38 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 139
  2. 129
  3. 115
  4. 99
  5. 92
  6. 86
  7. 80
  8. 68

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Aindrias Moynihan Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1159. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the up to date position of the education therapy rollout; the number of special schools included to date; the number of these located in Cork north-west; the timeline for wider rollout to additional schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55464/26]
Aindrias Moynihan Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1160. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress made in recruiting speech and language therapists and occupational therapists for education therapy service for Cork county; the number of posts sanctioned, filled and vacant for Cork county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55465/26]
Cian O'Callaghan Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1180. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 207 of 15 July 2026, to provide information on the identified level of need for a special education place at primary school level for a school planning area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55684/26]
Johnny Mythen Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1209. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is concerned at decisions made for SNA allocations which are not meeting need in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55986/26]
Paul Donnelly Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1229. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applications for assistive technology in Dublin that were granted in each of the years from 2022 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [56213/26]
Matt Carthy Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1231. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, given the case of a school (details supplied) and the uncertainty regarding the timeline in relation to the promised new ASD Unit in that school, the temporary repurposing of a classroom to cater as an ASD classroom will see that classroom being properly resourced and appropriately equipped with the specialist facilities and resources that the st…
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1234. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the opening of a school (details supplied) in Bray; if the school remains on schedule to open in September 2026; when details of admissions criteria, eligibility, enrolment procedures will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56340/26]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1235. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements being made to ensure that families requiring a place at a school (details supplied) in Bray receive timely information regarding admissions and enrolment for the 2026-2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56341/26]
Jennifer Whitmore Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1236. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has assessed the need for a special school to serve Wicklow town and the surrounding area, whether there are plans to establish a school; the current status of any assessment or proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56342/26]
Barry Ward Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1260. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding work ongoing within her Department that seeks to increase the provision of special education teachers to ensure the best possible outcome for students that require additional support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56798/26]
Pa Daly Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1265. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of the number of special education places available in Kerry; the demand for special educational needs places in Kerry; the number of special education classes sanctioned in Kerry in each of the years 2020 to date and for the school year 2026-2027, in tabular form. [56835/26]
Pa Daly Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1266. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special needs assistants and special class places allocated to schools in County Kerry in each of the past five years. [56836/26]
Barry Ward Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1270. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the request by a school (details supplied) to provide a large-scale communication board to support students, particularly those with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57035/26]
Barry Ward Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1271. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the merits of providing a dedicated fund for schools to seek funding for a large scale communication board (details supplied) to support students, particularly those with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57037/26]
Seán Crowe Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1272. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of SEN ASD places that will be available in schools, both primary and post-primary, in the Dublin south-west area for the 2026-2027 academic year, in tabular form. [57056/26]
Mark Ward Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1275. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the SNA allocations for each second level school in Dublin Mid-West for the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 school years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57079/26]
Mark Ward Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1277. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the SNA allocations for each primary level school in Dublin Mid-West for the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 school years; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57081/26]
John Clendennen Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1335. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans to reinstate the special education diploma allowance for teachers who entered public service after 1 February 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57760/26]
John Clendennen Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1337. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she recognises the disparity created between teachers who have completed the special education diploma prior to 2012 and continue to receive the associated allowance and those teachers who completed the same diploma after 1 February 2012 and do not receive the equivalent allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57762/26…
John Clendennen Written 28 Jul 2026 · to Education
1338. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the annual Exchequer cost of restoring the special education diploma allowance to all teachers who have completed the recognised special education diploma but who are not currently eligible for the allowance; whether this cost has been assessed in the context of the public service pay agreement or Local Bargaining Fund; whether the Government is …
Darren O'Rourke Oral 16 Jul 2026 · to Education
1. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children with additional needs who require but have yet to receive an offer of an appropriate school place for September 2026, based on her most recent meeting with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE; the date of same; the measures she is taking to ensure that every child with additional needs has an appropriate school pl…
Eoghan Kenny Written 16 Jul 2026 · to Education
4. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for setting 1 September 2026 as the closing date for applications for special school and special class places for the 2027-2028 school year; the exceptions that will apply where parents are unable to provide the required documentation by that date; the consultation undertaken by her Department and the National Council for Special Educatio…
Barry Heneghan Written 16 Jul 2026 · to Education
8. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether, when considering the provision of modular accommodation for special education classes in schools, her Department assesses the wider curricular, accommodation and long-term development needs of the school, including projected enrolment growth, specialist teaching spaces and future permanent accommodation requirements; and if she will make a s…
Paul Murphy Written 16 Jul 2026 · to Education
32. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is satisfied with the level of provision under the Summer Programme and the way in which it operates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54195/26]
Richard Boyd Barrett Written 16 Jul 2026 · to Education
45. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that the SNA allocation at a school (details supplied) is restored and that the school principal receive confirmation of same as a matter of urgency. [54077/26]