Special Educational Needs

455. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will grant an additional special education class for a school (details supplied) for the 2025-26 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25533/25]

457. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of school places required for special schools for September 2025, and the projected number of places that will be available, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25577/25]

458. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of times section 37A of the Education Act 1998 was used; the reasoning for its use, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25578/25]

459. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide details, by reference to building works, of autism units and special schools scheduled for completion between April and September 2025, if these works are on schedule to be completed by September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25579/25]

460. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth regarding the 399 new special classes sanctioned for the 2025-2026 school year, how many will be fully operational on the first day of the school year in August-September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25580/25]

466. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of mild general learning disability classrooms in County Kildare attached to a mainstream school or otherwise; the number of children waiting for a place in said classroom for September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25614/25]

467. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide additional funding and resources to mainstream schools without mild general learning disability classrooms, to support children with mild general learning disabilities for 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25615/25]

468. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special education teachers that will be provided for one-on-one learning support for children with a mild general learning disability in County Kildare for September 2025; the number of special needs assistants in County Kildare for September 2025; the level of resources allotted for movement breaks when required in …

469. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of ASD classrooms that were sanctioned back in 2021 for a school (details supplied); the timeline for their opening; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25617/25]

470. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will respond to concerns raised by school principals who report that although their schools meet the criteria for additional SNA support they are being informed that no allocation can be made due to a cap on available posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25662/25]

471. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will clarify whether it is current practice that SNA allocations can only be granted to some schools if they are first removed from others in the same area, as reported by principals; if so, how this aligns with the principle of meeting individual pupil needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25663/25]

472. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide more detail on how the NCSE's review process is carried out and how schools and families can appeal decisions if they believe a reduction in SNA support is inappropriate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25664/25]

473. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth , further to Parliamentary Question 62 of 30 April, if she will clarify how many of the SNA posts have already been allocated; the number of the 1,600 SNAs not allocated to newly sanctioned classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25665/25]

481. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the status of an additional needs application from a school (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25820/25]

483. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the circumstances surrounding the decision not to approve the application made by a school (details supplied) for the opening of a special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25824/25]

485. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department plans to open a special class for boys in any of the primary schools in Moate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25836/25]

493. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth in view of the significant increase in new autism spectrum disorder classes anticipated in September 2025, whether her Department will consider collaborating with the Department of Transport to support the implementation of a fast-track application process for the local area hackney driver licence and ensure that up-to-date informa…

505. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any more special classes will be sanctioned for the academic year 2025-2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26045/25]

506. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth is considering sanctioning any additional special classes for September 2025, specifically in cases where no renovations are required, in order to meet the demand in communities for school places. [26046/25]

509. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the level of communication between her Department and the NCSE; if the NCSE reports to her Department on the demand for mild learning classes in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26051/25]

510. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is a record of demand for mild learning classes in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26052/25]

222. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update regarding the proposed expansion of an autism class in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24951/25]

224. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth what concrete co-ordination mechanisms are in place between the CDNTs, the NCSE and schools to ensure that parents who have children under assessment for learning disabilities can expect to have an appropriate school place for their child in the upcoming school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24965…

225. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is considering expanding the eligibility criteria for SNA allocation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24966/25]

226. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions she is taking to help schools plan for children with diagnosed autism and other neurodivergent conditions before they enter school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24967/25]