277. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional resources that have been allocated to schools and local education support services in anticipation of the recommendations of the EPSEN review; and if he will provide a breakdown of expenditure by programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49749/25]
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
278. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the expected timeframe for the introduction of necessary legislative amendments following the completion of the EPSEN review; if draft heads of a Bill will be published in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49752/25]
290. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the proposal by a school (details supplied) to develop two ASD modular units within the existing play area of the school; the reasons for the delay in delivery thus far; if she will ensure that this development is expedited considering the pressures on the school at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49916/25]
334. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific measures her Department will support to enhance inclusive education across primary and special schools, as outlined by organisation (details supplied) in its pre-Budget 2026, in order to ensure every child receives the support they need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50401/25]
235. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the NCSE carries out risk assessments such as to identify flight risks of children in determination of SNA allocations to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49408/25]
236. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of risk assessments carried out by the NCSE in advance of the determination of SNA allocations, in total and per county, for each year since 2020-2025 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49409/25]
241. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that there are children due to attend the east Cork special school still awaiting a start date.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49497/25]
437. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans and timelines for the expansion of the School Inclusion Model and school-based therapies for special schools, for autism classes and for mainstream and the number of various therapists required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47578/25]
438. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline any plans for assistive technology as a means of facilitating special education and school-based therapies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47579/25]
439. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans in place to ensure students with special educational needs are facilitated in getting appropriate school places, at primary and secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47580/25]
442. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress being made to provide additional autism units at primary and secondary schools in County Louth for the September 2025 intake of students; the plans for additional autism units to come on stream for September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47583/25]
443. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department intends to develop a strategic plan for the provision of SEN at primary schools over the next three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47584/25]
445. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are plans to update the educational system at primary and secondary level to cater for students with mild learning disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47586/25]
446. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are plans to update the SNA allocation process in primary and secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47587/25]
449. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will direct the NCSE to engage with a school (details supplied) awaiting official decisions on two SERCs and an exceptional needs review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47720/25]
478. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider addressing issues on the lack of certainty around work hours for special transport assistants (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48037/25]
480. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools, by county for which an outstanding SNA review was ongoing at the commencement of the new school year; if she will introduce policies to ensure that such a situation does not arise in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48085/25]
482. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which parents can meet the deadline when the system is not equipped to provide documentation which is a legal requirement (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48093/25]
483. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure parity of health and safety leave entitlements between special needs assistants, SNAs, and teaching staff; to explain the rationale for the existing 21-day cap on such leave for pregnant SNAs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48097/25]
486. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to expedite the opening of an autism unit in a school in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48123/25]
487. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applications received for the school term 2025-2026 for a special education class, in a mainstream school or a special school; and the number of children who are projected to not be able to access a school place in the community in which they live. [48157/25]
488. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the cost of taxis in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 transporting children to special education placements due to a lack of provision in their locality, broken down by geographical area. [48158/25]
506. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the delivery of autism classes in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48246/25]
507. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans in place to accommodate children with special educational needs within the community (details supplied) in view of the fact this area is a school district and has no post primary autism classes in the district; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48247/25]
508. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children enrolled currently in autism classes in primary schools in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48248/25]