866. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students enrolled in special classes in the Youghal school planning area; the number of autistic students enrolled in mainstream classes within the Youghal school planning area; and the number of children on reduced timetables within the Youghal school planning area. [45930/25]
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
867. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students enrolled in special classes in the Dungarvan school planning area; the number of autistic students enrolled in mainstream classes within the Dungarvan school planning area; and the number of children on reduced timetables within the Dungarvan school planning area. [45931/25]
868. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students enrolled in special classes in the Lismore school planning area; the number of autistic students enrolled in mainstream classes within the Lismore school planning area; and the number of children on reduced timetables within the Lismore school planning area. [45932/25]
878. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the development of a centralised application system, in tandem with the NCSE, to deal with applications for children with special educational needs more efficiently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45983/25]
881. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special needs assistant posts currently remain unfilled, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45986/25]
885. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if within her internal budgetary process she has identified a need to increase funding for ICT equipment, to assist pupils with special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45993/25]
916. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's current approach to supporting students with dyslexia, including early identification, specialist interventions, teacher training, assistive technologies such as text-to-speech software and examination accommodations; if instruction in structured literacy methods for example, multisensory and systematic phonics is promoted; and if sh…
917. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is considering the establishment of additional reading schools or specialist reading classes for children with severe dyslexia; the current number of such settings nationally; the changes since 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46247/25]
918. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific steps being taken to expand specialist literacy support such as reading classes or workshops in Fingal, given its status as the area with one of the youngest and fastest-growing child populations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46248/25]
919. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way dyslexia-specific supports, such as additional reading schools or classes, fit within the implementation of the new Ireland's Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024-2033 for example, under "supporting diverse learners" pillar; her views on the alignment of these supports with identified strategy actions; and if she will make a …
920. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the professional learning opportunities available to mainstream and special education teachers to develop competencies in structured literacy, dyslexia screening and intervention strategies; the number of postgraduate SNA-special educational needs training places that have been assigned in the current year; and if she will make a statement on the mat…
921. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students currently served by reading schools or specialist classes for severe dyslexia, by region and, by local authority area; the projected future demand; the planned timeline for expanding such provision, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46251/25]
943. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of cases in which funded, purpose-built, special education units in primary schools are being used to house a mainstream classes rather than the intended special education provision; and if she will outline the steps her Department will take to address this matter ensuring that children requiring specialist support are provided with th…
944. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the monitoring and follow-up procedures, in place to ensure that schools are using Department-funded, purpose-built special education units for their intended purpose; and if she will provide details of how compliance is checked both at the time of project completion and on an ongoing basis. [46462/25]
945. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions or sanctions that are available to her Department when a school uses a purpose-built special education unit for purposes other than that for which funding was granted; and if she will outline how the Department ensures accountability for public expenditure in such cases. [46463/25]
946. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline how her Department ensures that children who were due to be accommodated in a special education unit, but are instead placed full-time in a mainstream class, receive the level of specialist support, resources, and therapeutic input they are entitled to. [46464/25]
955. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a special class for children with autism and other conditions (details supplied) will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46482/25]
998. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth if Irlens syndrome is recognised as a learning disability; if not, the reason: and if so, the supports provided to those diagnosed with the condition. [46885/25]
1012. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if special education needs classes for children with literacy and numeracy challenges are routinely staffed by fully qualified teachers with specific training in supporting children with additional educational needs; if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47043/25]
1013. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number and proportion of teachers currently assigned to special education needs classes who hold qualifications or additional training in special education, literacy difficulties including dyslexia or numeracy interventions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47044/25]
1014. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has assessed whether there are sufficient numbers of teachers with specialist training in special education needs to meet the demand in primary and post-primary schools, particularly in areas of high population growth such as Fingal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47045/25]
1015. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the professional development opportunities provided to teachers currently assigned to special education needs classes to ensure they are equipped with the skills to support children with literacy and numeracy challenges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47046/25]
1016. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is considering expanding mandatory training modules on special education, literacy and numeracy interventions in teacher training programmes, so that all teachers entering the system have a baseline specialist knowledge; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47047/25]
1017. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has examined outcomes for children in special education needs classes taught by teachers with specialist training compared to those either without such training or not qualified teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47048/25]
1018. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to ensure consistency across schools in how special education needs classes are delivered, including minimum standards of teacher training, supports and access to specialist resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47049/25]