514. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are plans to increase the number of ASD early intervention preschool classes in Dungarvan County Waterford, given the fact that access and inclusion model support in mainstream preschool may not be appropriate for every child with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29091/25]
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
515. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the NCSE has now withdrawn a new ASD class at a school (details supplied) which was sanctioned back in March and announced by her office and regarding which parents were offered classes; if she will urgently reverse this decision and work with the school to ensure this class proceeds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2912…
516. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list the schools that are providing summer education programmes in Dublin south central, in tabular form. [29136/25]
528. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools who were asked but declined to open special classes in their schools, per county, in tabular form. [29305/25]
529. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who were offered places in special classes or schools in September 2024 but have not commenced school in September 2024, per county, in tabular form. [29306/25]
530. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special classes that have opened per start of the academic school year, per county, in each of the years 2022 to 2025, in tabular form. [29307/25]
531. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special needs assistants, per school and per postcode in Dublin, in each of the years 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [29308/25]
538. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth when she expects SNA staffing allocations for the 2025-2026 primary school year to be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29410/25]
539. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will assign a new roll number regime to special schools in order to differentiate them from primary and secondary schools, since the current model classifies them as primary schools, even though many of them offer a secondary school curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29411/25]
540. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide any information about the application of a person (details supplied) for a special education class at the school and the subsequent refusal of the special education class at the location. [29414/25]
545. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the SNA review of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29471/25]
550. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a 5th special class will be granted for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29521/25]
556. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which she proposes to bridge the current qualification gap experienced by special needs teachers who hold a BA in early childhood education awarded outside the State to enable them to continue to work in Irish special schools. [29572/25]
564. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children looking for placements in special schools in Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W and 8 respectively, in May in each of the years 2020,2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [29617/25]
565. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children looking for placements in special classes in Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W and 8 respectively, in May in each of the years 2020,2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, in tabular form. [29618/25]
570. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the projected number of special school places in both primary and post primary required for the 2025-2026, 2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2027-2028 school years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29688/25]
576. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a national school (details supplied) will be facilitated by the department in establishing a 5th ASD class to cater for children in the community and the unprecedented demand for places in the special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29717/25]
584. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that a school (details supplied) did not receive sanction for a special class for the upcoming school year. [29840/25]
588. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider granting a third special class in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29854/25]
589. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the status of the sanctioned autism class at a school (details supplied); to confirm the stage it is at within the school building unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29855/25]
591. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children seeking special school places and special class places, by county, for the past five years; the projected demand for the next two years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29857/25]
594. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children are seeking special class places in the various categories of special class, broken down by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29860/25]
596. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary and post primary schools in the country do not have a special class; the name and counties of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29862/25]
598. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who presented to the National Council For Special Education this year as requiring a place in a special class by county, and by type of special class place requested in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29869/25]
602. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children projected to transition into special classes in primary schools over the next five years, broken down by county and type of special class, in tabular form. [29875/25]