237. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth how the Department and the NCSE are using the earlier notification process for special education places to plan for teacher, special needs assistant, accommodation and transport requirements for the 2027/2028 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54249/26]
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
238. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will outline the further actions being considered to address schools that continue to publish admission policies containing clauses contrary to Department and NCSE guidance; whether additional compliance measures or oversight mechanisms are planned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54250/26]
281. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth the options open to ensure that a child (details supplied) can access education in a school. [52665/26]
283. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth if students who are meant to be starting in first year in a school (details supplied) but who, due to delays in the construction of the modular unit, are having their start date in the school pushed back to mid-October 2026, could be provided with dedicated SNAs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52691/26]
284. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on an application made through the online portal on behalf of a pupil for the July Provision Summer Programme (details supplied), especially as arrangements have already been made for the programme and a tutor for the pupil; if the application will get appropriate consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52699/26]
308. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that a child (details supplied) is awarded a place in a special school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53103/26]
324. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to ensure that the change of date for the NCSE Parents Notify Portal deadline to 1 September 2026 is directly and adequately communicated to crucial frontline stakeholders; if she will address concerns that the mid-summer announcement occurred while schools, parent networks, and child development network teams (CDNTs) are on rec…
330. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the expected timeline for the National Council for Special Education to process applications received through the Parents Notify portal for the 2027-2028 school year; whether applications will be assessed on a rolling basis as they are received or only after the portal closes on 1 September 2026; the anticipated timeframe within which parents can e…
345. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the legal or contractual basis her Department decided to withdraw the agreed local bargaining measures for SNAs (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53587/26]
346. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will identify the clause within the public service agreement, local bargaining agreement or any other written agreement that made implementation of the local bargaining measures conditional upon acceptance of the Workforce Development Plan (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53588/26]
347. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason members were asked to vote separately on the local bargaining proposal, if it was dependent on the outcome of a separate ballot (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53589/26]
352. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to examine the unacceptable delays in issuing sanction letters for the Home Based Summer Provision Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53660/26]
678. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if she is aware that Tusla has instructed a service provider (details supplied) that children with special educational needs who turn six years-of-age or older during the 2026/2027 school year cannot join the service from September onwards despite the ongoing shortage of suitable educational placements for children with additional and s…
96. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth the key measures taken to improve special needs education provision since January 2025; her priorities for same for the rest of 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51940/26]
102. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on summer provision for a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51970/26]
108. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 383 of 30 June 2026, if she will consider granting an additional SNA to a school (details supplied) provisionally from 1 September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52139/26]
328. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the case of a visually impaired child in a school (details supplied) who was not sanctioned an SNA and therefore cannot undertake July Provision; and if she will urgently intervene to sanction these supports and allow this child to partake in July Provision with their peers. [50815/26]
329. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason home based July provision has been denied for a child (details supplied); the status of the appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50860/26]
345. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number and percentage of special needs assistants currently employed who hold qualifications at Levels 6, 7, 8 and postgraduate level, respectively; and whether consideration will be given to recognising existing qualifications as part of the implementation of the revised SNA framework. [51087/26]
346. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether additional funding or supports will be made available to SNAs required to undertake mandatory professional development under the proposed revised SNA contract, including paid release time and financial assistance where appropriate. [51088/26]
347. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a review mechanism will be established following implementation of the revised SNA contract to assess its impact on workload, redeployment, retention, and educational outcomes for students with additional educational needs. [51089/26]
348. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department intends to examine career progression opportunities for special needs assistants, including the development of advanced or specialist SNA roles with appropriate remuneration and responsibilities. [51090/26]
355. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that 14 children have been left without a place in the reading class attached to a school in Renmore, County Galway, which is the only reading class serving the Connacht region; if consideration has been given to establishing a second reading class in light of the current waiting list and the principal's reported readiness to accommoda…
356. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number and location of reading classes currently in operation nationwide; the number of children currently on waiting lists for placement in such classes, by county, in tabular form; whether there are plans to increase the number of reading classes available to children with severe dyslexia; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51146/2…
361. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to ensure that sufficient autism class places are available in the local area of a school (details supplied); whether the provision of modular accommodation or other interim measures is being considered to meet identified demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51223/26]