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 the same; and if she …
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
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 redesignation in the medi…
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
404. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) in east Cork will not be given an extra Autism class for 2025-2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33852/25]
406. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth if pupils currently enrolled in a school (details supplied) who have a diagnosis of MGLD will have to move to mainstream education under her Department’s plan to re-designate special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33861/25]
407. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth if pupils with a diagnosis of MGLD and no other diagnosis or dual diagnosis will have to move to mainstream education under the Department’s plan to re-designate special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33862/25]