Special Educational Needs

179. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the current one-size-fits-all system whereby a minimum of six pupils are needed to establish a special education class and acknowledge that this disproportionately affects rural communities; and if they will explore implementing more flexible options. [30701/25]

320. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on special education classes in second level schools that are provided for children with Down’s Syndrome; if she will give a commitment that her Department will plan to expand this service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31283/25]

323. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to recruit a sufficient number of SNAs, therapists, SLTs and OTs to match the demand of SEN students this September. [30859/25]

326. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth to respond to concerns that a special school in Blackrock (details supplied) will be reducing services or integrating with any other schools. [31345/25]

330. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she would consider a special class for autistic learners in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31390/25]

335. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has directed a school (details supplied) that from the 2025/2026 academic year it will no longer be accommodating pupils with a mild general learning disability; the measures she will take to ensure these pupils receive appropriate alternative school places and supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31428/…

336. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the case of a child (details supplied) who does not have a special education place as needed will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31439/25]

343. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has effectively capped SNAs staffing levels for secondary schools; and if any impact assessment has been taken regarding this measure. [31552/25]

344. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department requires schools to assign resources for academic year 2025/26 from their current complement of SNAs irrespective of increased need for SNA resources. [31553/25]

345. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the instruction her Department is giving schools that do not have enough SNA resources to cater to the needs of their pupils. [31554/25]

346. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the situation in a school (details supplied) where a pupil that will enter the school in September requires 2 SNAs but sanction has only been given for 1.5, with the recommendation that .5 be reallocated from another child; if this is the policy of her Department; if she considers this an outworking of th…

348. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the cost of increasing the free-of-charge summer programme for students with special education needs to provide a place for every child with special educational needs across the State. [31572/25]

357. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider undertaking a feasibility study into the establishment of a new secondary school in Cork for students with complex needs, who do not have an intellectual disability and would be academically capable of completing the Junior Certificate and the Leaving Certificate; and if she will make a statement on the …

360. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the system of approving supports for children with additional needs will be amended to ensure more timely provision of such supports (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31648/25]

368. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the SNA allocations will be released for the 2025/2026 school year. [31746/25]

142. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures the Government is taking to tackle the inequalities between school children with extra educational needs or disabilities. [30281/25]

477. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated cost of establishing an initial panel of 90 speech and language therapists for schools as a shared resource. [29377/25]

479. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special schools in Ireland, broken down by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28945/25]

480. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students each special school has, broken down by school and by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28946/25]

481. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special schools across Ireland have outdoor play equipment, broken down by school and by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28947/25]

482. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth if funds are available for special schools that wish to install an outdoor play area for sensory play; if so, to detail these funds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28948/25]

483. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the Government policy for outdoor play facilities for special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28949/25]

493. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of SNA allocations that were recommended to the NCSE by SENOs versus the actual number that were allocated; and to provide a breakdown of where the recommendation by a SENO has not been filled or sanctioned, In tabular form. [29008/25]

497. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm that a school (details supplied) will be permitted to open a fourth ASD class, where the school had offered places to children to open the new ASD class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29029/25]

499. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will examine a case (details supplied) whereby a five-year-old child has received no offer for a school place in a special education school; the action being taken to increase places in special education schools, not just additional classes in mainstream schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter…