54. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to establish an additional reading class west of Galway city to compliment the class in Renmore; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53301/26]
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
86. Deputy Claire Kerrane 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. [52568/26]
92. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for requiring parents and guardians seeking a special class or special school place for the 2027-2028 school year to notify the NCSE by 1 September 2026 and submit supporting documentation by 15 September 2026; and the measures that will be put in place to support families who may not have all documentation available by these dates. [539…
97. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the special school in Carraig na bFhear will open. [52757/26]
101. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to ensure that primary schools requested by her Department to provide additional mainstream places or establish new special classes receive timely confirmation of the teaching posts, special educational needs supports and associated resources required to deliver those places; and if she will make a statement on the matter…
109. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the basis on which the 1 September 2026 closing date for the NCSE parents notify portal for special class and special school placements for the 2027-28 school year was determined; whether consideration has been given to concerns raised by schools that the deadline falls before many schools have reopened following the summer break, limiting opport…
110. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will reconsider implementing the Special Needs Assistants Workforce Development Plan following a rejection of the plan by SNAs in a trade union ballot (details supplied). [54078/26]
113. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the delivery of special classes in Dublin Rathdown. [52411/26]
114. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 459 of 16 June 2026, wherein a detailed breakdown of children without an appropriate school place for September 2026 was requested, whether her Department holds the requested data on unmet need for appropriate school places; and the way in which she will ensure that all children can access education suita…
305. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of staff employed in the new special school in Balbriggan due to open in September 2026; the number who have signed contracts; her plans to recruit the full complement of staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54279/26]
315. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider amending the current procedure for funding the cost of school bus escorts (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54377/26]
326. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason managers of the summer programme are prevented by the ESINET system being paid as manager until the entire programme concludes at the end of August. [54516/26]
349. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth the proposals to increase capacity at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54668/26]
195. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason assistive technology was refused for a child (details supplied) despite a medical report submitted stating that this support is essential to enable the child to access the school curriculum while waiting an assessment for dyspraxia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53802/26]
207. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 378 of 7 July 2026, if she will provide information on the identified level of need in the school planning area (details supplied); the reason no new special classes in primary schools have been announced in the school planning area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53995/26]
210. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update, including a timeline, on the new ASD classes for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54064/26]
211. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update, including a timeline, of the new ASD classes for a school (details supplied). [54065/26]
212. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update including a timeline of the new ASD classes for a school (details supplied). [54066/26]
213. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update including a timeline of the new ASD classes for a school (details supplied). [54067/26]
215. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school’s (details supplied) SEN re-purposing grant was refused; if the school can re-apply given that there will be five SEN classes and challenges with accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54098/26]
219. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are plans to progress a special school for second-level age students in Cork. [54109/26]
223. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of SET hours allocated in Cork per student in the 2025-2026 school year; and the number for the 2026-2027 school year. [54113/26]
224. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the therapists in special schools pilot in Cork. [54114/26]
235. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applications, places available and waiting lists for each of the 14 reading classes nationwide for each of the past five school years; whether her Department has undertaken any assessment of unmet demand for specialist reading classes for children with severe dyslexia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54247/26]
236. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress being made through the NCSE Parents Notify online portal in supporting early identification of demand for special education places; the steps being taken to ensure that information gathered through the portal informs timely decisions on the establishment of additional special classes and special school places; and if she will make a stat…