Special Educational Needs
An official questions-paper heading. 2,799 questions (33 oral, 2,766 written), first 2025-01-22, latest 2026-07-28.
Questions under this heading, per month
Jan 2025Jul 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | 31 |
| Feb 2025 | 124 |
| Mar 2025 | 114 |
| Apr 2025 | 160 |
| May 2025 | 134 |
| Jun 2025 | 183 |
| Jul 2025 | 215 |
| Sep 2025 | 113 |
| Oct 2025 | 76 |
| Nov 2025 | 191 |
| Dec 2025 | 122 |
| Jan 2026 | 163 |
| Feb 2026 | 283 |
| Mar 2026 | 270 |
| Apr 2026 | 167 |
| May 2026 | 181 |
| Jun 2026 | 171 |
| Jul 2026 | 101 |
Addressed to
| Department | Questions |
|---|---|
| Education | 2,737 |
| Children | 37 |
| Health | 17 |
| Further and Higher Education | 5 |
| Social | 3 |
Debates under the same heading
Dáil debate sections whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
Marie Sherlock
written
2025-07-16 · to Education
125. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify within every special school if every teacher and SNA, respectively has the appropriate qualification; and if not, the number of teachers and SNAs, respectively do not, out of the total number of teaching and SNA staff and if she will make a statement accordingly. [40095/25]
Donna McGettigan
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
435. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures that can be taken to ensure that a school child (details supplied) can receive the full-time SNA assistance they require, in junior infants, in mainstream setting in their local school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38650/25]
Darren O'Rourke
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
438. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special schools that have received the first day of CPI training, to date in 2025, in accordance with the ‘Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations’ guidelines published by the Department of Education in December 2024; the number of special schools that have, received the second day …
Darren O'Rourke
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
439. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the removal of the ‘direct training model’ delivered by CPI to a ‘train the trainers’ model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38667/25]
Darren O'Rourke
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
441. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated full-year cost to increase the number of SNAs to 24,200. [38669/25]
Donna McGettigan
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
450. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a requested exceptional review of the SNA allocation of a school (details supplied) was cancelled; if there is a freeze on SNA allocations to schools; if so, if this is the case; the measures she will take to reverse this freeze; if she will ensure the review of SNAs in the school takes place and the required SNAs a…
Grace Boland
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
456. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps she has taken to deliver on the commitment in the Programme for Government to create special educational needs coordinators; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38809/25]
Grace Boland
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
457. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if pupils with a diagnosis of dyslexia will be allowed additional time to complete their State exams in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38869/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
460. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her rationale for limiting eligibility for entry into DLD/SSD special classes Circular 00024/25 to students with conditions of an unknown origin when students with similar symptoms with a known cause would also benefit from the targeted support provided in such classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38…
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
461. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to develop alternative educational supports and classes for children with SSD of known origin to make up for the gap in provision created by circulars determining access criteria for DLD/SSD classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38914/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
462. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the details of the contractual deployment of speech and language therapists in the DLD/SSD special classes and how duties are split between her Department and the Department of Health; the number of such posts vacant at the moment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38915/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
463. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of concessionary places that are occupied in DLD/SSD special classes at the moment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38916/25]
Martin Daly
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
474. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the special needs supports that can be provided for an individual (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39200/25]
Paul McAuliffe
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
475. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a full review will be carried out of the SNA review carried out at a school (details supplied). [39201/25]
Paul Nicholas Gogarty
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
478. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the recent review of the SNA allocation at a school (details supplied) which recommended a significant increase to its allocation of 8.66 SNAs for a school of 700 pupils; when such an increase is likely to be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39221/25]
Paul Nicholas Gogarty
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
479. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth how a school (details supplied) was not allocated additional SNAs for 2025/2026 despite a report following an exceptional review by the NCSE SENO investigators which recommended a significant increase in its allocation; if this is a temporary processing issue, which will see an increase early during the next school year, …
Paul Nicholas Gogarty
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
480. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list the SNA allocations per head at each primary and second level school in Dublin since 2015, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39223/25]
George Lawlor
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
494. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she examined the case of a child with very complex needs (details supplied) who needs SNA support as they transfer schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39358/25]
Darren O'Rourke
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
498. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list the special classes that were in place for 2024 to 2025 but that will be suppressed for 2025 to 2026 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39437/25]
Darren O'Rourke
written
2025-07-15 · to Education
499. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list the special classes that were sanctioned for 2025 to 2026 but which now have been withdrawn by the National Council for Special Education and her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39438/25]
Sorca Clarke
written
2025-07-10 · to Education
216. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools, including their ethos, who have received suppression of special class notices to date in 2025, including the number of these classes, in tabular form per county; to include those which were due to open for the school year 2025/2026, the maximum capacity of each and the financial expenditure incurred to date …
Sorca Clarke
written
2025-07-10 · to Education
217. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide the number of Gaelscoileanna that have requested to alter their ethos contrary to the Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools (details supplied). [38402/25]
Sorca Clarke
written
2025-07-10 · to Education
218. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth in relation to the special education or ASD classes sanctioned in 2024 and 2025, including those who have received suppression notices, the cost of all forms of consultancy fees associated with each individual sanctioned rooms or classes. [38404/25]
Sorca Clarke
written
2025-07-10 · to Education
220. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth where a sanction for a special class has been revoked via a suppression notice, to outline the step by step process, including the key decision makers involved, the engagement with the school, the NCSE and the parents who have enrolled children in these classes for the upcoming school year. [38411/25]
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
written
2025-07-10 · to Education
222. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth to explain the rationale for redesignating mild general learning disabilities schools, including a school (details supplied), as complex needs schools without consultation with the school community, thus altering the very identity of those schools, and potentially forcing thousands of children with mild learning disabilities …