Special Educational Needs

500. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth for the trainings that are in place for bus drivers in State-funded bus services for disabled children, including privately contracted bus services, in particular school transport for special schools and special classes contracted through Bus Éireann, with respect to behaviours of concern and the needs of disabled passenge…

503. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to improve pay and conditions for special needs assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63795/25]

504. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to ensure that all new school builds include an autism class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63796/25]

252. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) which has four children with additional needs including autism who started in September 2025 will not be given any additional SNA support this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62312/25]

259. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be given permission to establish a special class within their school to support children with additional learning needs in their community. [62359/25]

261. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has an official policy on the use of sensory or quiet rooms in schools for students with autism; whether schools are permitted to limit the use of such facilities to a set number of classes per day; and if her Department has an official policy or recommended usage time per student per day for such facilities. [62…

267. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students who availed of July special provision during Summer 2025; the requirements to qualify; if there are plans to expand the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62442/25]

270. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if classes can be sanctioned for autistic children for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62451/25]

274. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of deaf children and deaf parents currently known to Tusla; the measures in place to ensure they receive accessible, culturally informed support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62485/25]

279. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will sanction additional autism classes at a school (details supplied); if she will engage with the NCSE to increase the provision of autism classes and supports in the wider north Dublin area to match the increasing demands due to a growing large young population; if she will accept the request of a meeting with the sch…

479. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review enrolment policies for students with diagnosed language disorders who are professionally recommended to attend specialist language units for part of their primary education; and if she will ensure that such students are not disadvantaged in accessing second-level school places in their local community as a resul…

480. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place, and the further action that will be taken, to guarantee equitable access to second-level education for children who must attend specialist settings due to a language-based disability, so that they are not penalised in the admissions process for circumstances beyond their control. [61016/25]

486. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of the €3 billion funding for special education in budget 2026 which will be spent on new measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61136/25]

489. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth regarding the new process for completion of assessments and eligibility letters in advance of applying for special school places by 1 October, where previously the deadline would have been February of the applicable year, if the portal will re-open; if so, when; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61145/25]

495. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to change the arbitrary deadline of 1 October for parents or guardians to submit a letter of eligibility for the admission of students with a disability or special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61241/25]

496. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth to urgently intervene to resolve the issues arising from the NCSE’s SNA Review Guidelines 30214, to protect the essential work of SNAs in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61242/25]

497. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports provided to teachers to upskill to meet the special educational needs in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61243/25]

505. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the National Council for Special Education records and reports local demand for autism-specific school placements; the number of eligibility letters issued by special educational needs organisers; the way in which this data is used to ensure sufficient autism-specific class and special school places are available w…

507. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the decision to refuse retrospective payment of set up grants for the autism special classes opened in 2021 and 2022 at a school (details supplied), in view of the contribution the school has made in opening three autism classes in succession and the very high needs of the students concerned; the circulars, gui…

508. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the details of the circulars and scheme rules governing set up grants for autism and other special classes at primary and post primary level; the formal time limits for submitting grant applications; the way in which these time limits are communicated to schools; if discretion is available to approve retrospective claims where cl…

509. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools that have received autism or special class set up grants retrospectively in each year from 2018 to date, the total amount paid in retrospective grants in each year, disaggregated by county and school type; the criteria used by her Department when deciding whether to approve retrospective applications; and if…

510. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new autism and other special classes opened at post primary level for each year from 2020 to date; the number of these classes that received the full set up grants available; the number of applications refused or not processed on the basis that they were submitted outside the relevant timeframe; and if she will make…

511. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline the internal guidance issued to Department officials on the processing of applications and late applications for autism and special class set up grants, including any instructions on the use of discretion in cases where schools have responded positively to requests to open special classes in their area; how co…

512. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress to date including a timeline, for the new ASD classes for a school (details supplied). [61373/25]

517. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth in relation to letters of eligibility from the NCSE, if the cut-off date for parents to notify will be removed with a view to allowing families apply, as needed, given delays to assessment of needs, AON, processes and the need to submit assessment reports alongside an application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6…