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
John Brady
written
2025-07-01 · to Education
411. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth who will determine whether a student has MGLD or ‘complex MGLD’ as per her use in the 0039/2025 circular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36172/25]
John Brady
written
2025-07-01 · to Education
412. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional supports that will be put in place for students with MGLD who may return to mainstream education under her re-designation of special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36173/25]
John Brady
written
2025-07-01 · to Education
413. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will engage directly with teachers, school leaders and families to consult with them meaningfully before further implementation of re-designation of special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36174/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-06-26 · to Education
227. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's official policy position with respect to the redesignation of mild special schools; if it is the Department's intention to redesignate all mild special schools and the timeline for same; to list all redesignations sanctioned to date and planned redesignations; the evidence base and policy rationale for t…
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-06-26 · to Education
235. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, under her plans to redesignate mild special school as the catch all for special schools, children with mild general learning disability will be moved to a mainstream setting in the short-term; if children with mild general learning disability being moved to mainstream is a reasonable outcome to expect from this redes…
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-06-26 · to Education
236. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on whether mild special schools have a place in our educational mix; and her further views on whether mild special schools provide a tailored service and added value that justifies their continued existence as such. [35079/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-06-26 · to Education
237. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the discrepancy between the proportion of general learning disability classes and ASD special classes; if she will make public the data used to make these allocations; and the reasons for this discrepancy. [35080/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-06-26 · to Education
238. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline, under her plans to redesignate mild special school as catch all special schools, the specific resources and training that will be provided to mainstream teachers to effectively accommodate mild students in mainstream before 2026-2027. [35081/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-06-26 · to Education
239. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline, under her plans to redesignate mild special school as catch all special schools, the means by which, and the pool whence, the many therapists needed to support mainstream and special schools with this action by 2026-2027 will be recruited. [35082/25]
Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh
written
2025-06-26 · to Education
240. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth under her plans to redesignate mild special school as catch-all special schools, the number of pupils with mild learning disabilities that will be moved to a mainstream setting for the 2026-2027 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35084/25]
Grace Boland
written
2025-06-25 · to Education
82. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline all schools in the Swords area, as of June 2025, that will be providing special classes for the 2025/2026 school year; the number of classes that will be provided by each respective school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34719/25]
Pa Daly
written
2025-06-25 · to Education
85. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be provided a third temporary autism class for the 2025-2026 academic year only, creating junior, middle and senior autism classes for one year only; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34781/25]
John Clendennen
written
2025-06-25 · to Education
86. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the redesignation of special schools that cater for children with mild general learning disabilities; the impact this may have on their current students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34799/25]
John Clendennen
written
2025-06-25 · to Education
87. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the extra capacity that will be provided by redesignating schools for children with mild general learning disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34800/25]
John Clendennen
written
2025-06-25 · to Education
88. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current capacity for special education places in County Offaly; how this compares to the potential places within the county from September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34801/25]
Barry Heneghan
written
2025-06-25 · to Education
95. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown of the number of special education classes currently available at second level schools in Dublin Bay north; the projections for the number of special classes expected to be required in the area for the 2026, 2027, and 2028 school years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34851/25]
Barry Heneghan
written
2025-06-25 · to Education
96. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the planned special school in the existing section of a school (details supplied); the expected opening date; the number of classrooms to be provided and the projected student capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34852/25]
Eoghan Kenny
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
372. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether all mild general learning disability schools being re-designated as complex needs schools; if so, the reason for this; which stakeholders were involved in the re-designation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34368/25]
Liam Quaide
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
373. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the National Council for Special Education accept clinical diagnosing of autism in assessment reports completed by counselling psychologists. [34542/25]
Conor D McGuinness
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
374. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date on which she was informed of the shortfall in additional SNAs promised for September 2025 as in the case of a school (details supplied); the reason for the delays in responses from the NCSE to schools. [33517/25]
Louis O'Hara
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
376. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an application for a reader and scribe for the Junior Certificate examinations was made by a school for a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33519/25]
Noel McCarthy
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
377. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on an application by a school (details supplied) for the establishment a new autism class ahead of the 2025-2026 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33541/25]
Darren O'Rourke
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
384. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 85 of 12 June 2025 (details supplied), the number of children that account for the 92% of allocations receiving a place in a special class/school, by county. [33621/25]
John Brady
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
388. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the redesignation of special schools will only affect children with a diagnosis of mild general learning disability (MGLD) or will affect students with a dual diagnosis of MGLD and another neurodevelopmental diagnosis, such as MGLD and autism; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33698/25]
John Brady
written
2025-06-24 · to Education
389. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth the additional supports that will be made available for children with a mild general learning disability who will have to leave special schools and attend mainstream school; whether mild general learning disability-specific classes be made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33699/25]