Special Educational Needs

212. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the annual cost of new entrant special education teacher posts, with the breakdown of the annual cost for new-entrant special education teachers in primary, post primary and special schools, in tabular form. [28229/25]

269. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will commit to removing the obligation on special needs assistants to undertake an additional 72 hours of work annually, in light of widespread concerns raised regarding the implementation and potential misuse of this requirement, as documented by representative organisations (details supplied); and if she will make a …

270. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure parity of health and safety leave entitlements between special needs assistants, SNAs, and teaching staff; to explain the rationale for the existing 21-day cap on such leave for pregnant SNAs, a restriction not applicable to teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26815/25]

271. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will commit to the introduction of a statutory entitlement to family illness leave for special needs assistants, in line with provisions available to other school staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26816/25]

272. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider the removal of the cap on paid leave for special needs assistants, following incidents of assault, as outlined in Circular 0062/2017 (Scheme for Leave of Absence Following Assault for Special Needs Assistants in Recognised Primary and Post-Primary Schools); and if she will make a statement on the matter. …

273. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will establish a clearer and more timely system of communication in respect of contract renewals for special needs assistants, as many SNAs report not receiving confirmation of continued employment until the commencement of the school summer holidays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26818/25]

274. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the ongoing review of the special needs assistant contract will be completed; if this review will include consideration of updated qualification and skills requirements for the role; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26819/25]

295. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans for the redesignation of schools for children with mild general learning disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27125/25]

299. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools providing summer education programme in the post codes of Dublin 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10, in tabular form. [27209/25]

304. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 984 of 29 April 2025, to outline to the nearest reasonable estimated month, the projected opening date for the new special school at a location (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27227/25]

307. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline her Department's plan to add an autism class to a primary school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27236/25]

308. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to increase the maximum allocation capped at €550 for ICT grants for special educational students. [27237/25]

309. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that submissions made to her Department including quotes and Seno recommendations often face wait times of 8-9 months before approval is provided for the ICT grants for schools; and if she will commit to setting a cap of a maximum four months to receive a response from the department regarding ICT grants. [27238…

310. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will allow schools to be invoiced for ICT supplies by companies rather than provide receipts to the department to get reimbursed." [27239/25]

312. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will intervene to ensure a child (details supplied) will get a place in a local special school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27362/25]

327. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the cost of transporting special education children to school in Carlow for the academic years 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27539/25]

328. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the cost of transporting special education children to school in Kilkenny for the academic years 2022-2023, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27540/25]

334. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the placement of two modular SEN classrooms at a school (details supplied); if considerations around the need to maintain the maximum amount of grass play areas are being taken into account; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27606/25]

335. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth when schools will receive their allocations of SNA for the forthcoming 2025/2026 educational year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27609/25]

339. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she can advise in relation to a school securing the necessary funding for a child who has not received an ASD school placement for September 2025 (details supplied). [27636/25]

341. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the capacity of the NCSE to provide training to the staff of the 400 new special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27675/25]

342. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the definition of ‘complex needs’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27676/25]

343. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the definition of ‘complex special educational needs’; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27677/25]

344. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth given that there were approximately 13,500 unqualified teachers employed in Irish schools in the 2024/2025 school year, what steps the Government will take to ensure that the most vulnerable children in special schools and special classes will have experienced, fully qualified staff; and if she will make a statement on the matt…

210. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on applications made by two schools (details supplied) for additional SNA supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26402/25]