Special Educational Needs

856. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to fund play therapists, including play therapists through school completion programme. [59692/25]

858. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to increase the number of special education places in Limerick city schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59751/25]

864. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline her Department’s plans to increase the number of SNAs and special education places, and to improve school buildings, school funding, school transport, teacher recruitment and retention for schools in Fingal east (details supplied). [59770/25]

865. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of parents that gave notice to the NCSE that their child requires a special class/special school place for the 2026/2027 school year, up to the deadline of 1 October 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59775/25]

869. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the availability of school places in County Laois for children with autism; the number of children currently without a school place in the county; her future plans to streamline the application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59797/25]

874. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of places available to children with special educational needs in counties Cavan and Monaghan; the additional places planned and the timeframe in which they will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59823/25]

875. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the exclusion of SEBD special schools from DEIS supports, particularly in cases where pupils have been transferred from DEIS-designated mainstream schools, thereby losing access to essential wraparound supports like HSCL officers and School Completion Programmes (details supplied). [59834/25]

876. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has met with or engaged directly with the management and board of management of a school (details supplied) regarding their serious concerns in relation to a lack of appropriate supports and the unsafe conditions they face; and if not, whether she will agree to a formal meeting to discuss these concerns. …

877. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department intends to introduce in-school multi-disciplinary teams, including psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and behaviour support workers, in SEBD schools (details supplied), where the need is particularly acute and the current reliance on external CDNT services is proving i…

880. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review pay and allowance structures for teachers and SNAs in SEBD-designated schools, in light of the fact that staff in such settings face significantly higher-risk working conditions than those in mainstream schools but do not receive any additional allowance, unlike teachers in secure units or detention cent…

881. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to address the recruitment and retention crisis in SEBD-designated schools, particularly given the absence of structured mental health supports, salary differentials, and growing levels of burnout and staff turnover. [59841/25]

882. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has considered establishing a dedicated staff support framework for those working in SEBD-designated schools, similar to that available in secure or custodial education settings, to ensure adequate protection, supervision, and wellbeing supports. [59842/25]

884. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the importance of the role played by mild general learning disability schools in the mix of schools; if she will protect their status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [59857/25]

921. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the shortage of special needs assistants across the education system; if regional or national workforce planning has been carried out to meet rising demand; the measures being taken to improve recruitment and retention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60102/25]

922. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider providing an ASD unit for a school in Kildare south (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60114/25]

923. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department plans to formally recognise school assistance dogs within the implementation framework of the forthcoming National Human Rights Strategy 2025–2030 under Pillar One, Inclusive Learning and Education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60115/25]

924. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider expanding the school assistance dog pilot programme to additional schools nationwide, ensuring regional balance and independent evaluation of outcomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60116/25]

925. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will examine the way in which school assistance dogs can be integrated as complementary supports within the new education therapy service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60117/25]

932. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the nature and extent of State support provided to fee-paying schools in relation to the establishment and operation of special classes; the level and criteria of staffing supports such as teachers and special needs assistants; the availability and scale of any capital or ICT grants for such provision; any formal agreements or f…

935. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the ring fenced SEN hours, as agreed in the ring fenced senior cycle redevelopment support measures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60184/25]

1514. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the process for an individual to receive reimbursement for the cost of an assessment of need when the individual had to go private, due to the State not meeting its statutory requirement for a timely assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58568/25]

1520. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which additional funding to clear the backlog of assessment of need applications, allocated under Cara’s Fund, will be detailed in the National Service Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58670/25]

1522. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the pathways and timeframes for accessing a section 16(a) S.I. No. 704/2021 - Disability (Assessment of Needs, Service Statements and Redress) (Amendment) Regulations 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58850/25]

1523. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the expected timeframes for a section 16 (a) S.I (a). No.704/2021 whereby a section 16A has been granted to an individual or family member; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58851/25]

53. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if additional funding will be provided to a school (details supplied) for speech and language therapy and occupational therapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57440/25]