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]
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
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. [26817/25]
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. [27238/25]
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 matter. [27678/25]
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]
227. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth in light of the State’s obligations under the Constitution and under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, how the Department justifies the continued lack of access to a school place for a child with a disability, where over 180 public schools have been contacted without success, and no public school place has been p…
228. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be opening an ASD class in the 2025-2026 academic year; if not, if the school will be opening one for the 2026-2027 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26570/25]
49. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current qualification requirements for teachers assigned to special classes or special education units, including autism classes, in primary and post-primary schools; if it is a requirement that such teachers hold a postgraduate qualification in special educational needs; if not, the reason; and if her Department, in consultation with the National …