78. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children identified by the NCSE by the February deadline who have yet to be offered a school place for September 2025; the total number of children now with a recommendation for a special class or special school place who have not been offered a school place for September; to outline her efforts to ensure that all children with additional educational needs will have a physical school place and the necessary SET, SNA and other resources and supports in place for September; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40610/25]
Sentiment score: 0.29
Will the Minister tell the House the number of children who were identified by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, by the February deadline and are yet to be offered a school place for September 2025? What is the total number of children now with a recommendation for a special class or special school place who have not been offered a school place for September? Will the Minister outline her efforts to ensure all children with additional educational needs will have a physical school place and the necessary special education teacher, SET, special needs assistant, SNA, and other resources and supports in place for September and will she make a statement on the matter?
Sentiment score: 0.67
The Minister will guess what my supplementary question is going to be. It will be the same as my initial question. It will be the same question that was put to John Kearney, the head of the NCSE, at the committee's meeting on 2 July, to the Minister of State at the committee's meeting on 18 June and to the Minister at the committee's meeting on 12 June and in the Dáil on the same day during Question Time. The Minister referred to 92% of the 3,275. What is the number? I recognise that progress is being made, but what is the small number for Dublin? In addition, what was the number post February? I can identify - I will raise this in the form of a further supplementary- children who have been identified and who were given recommendations post February.
Sentiment score: 0.06
I am frustrated on my behalf, as a public representative, and on behalf of parents who are waiting to places for their children. They feel like they are being gaslit because the figures are not being spelled out. They do not know where they stand in terms of the system. It feels like a co-ordinated omertà in the context of the failure to release those figures. There are a number of legal cases against the State regarding children not being provided for. Not all of those cases relate to Dublin. The idea that everyone outside Dublin has been accommodated is not a fair reflection of the situation. The Minister might comment on that aspect. An issue relating to Owenbeg National School in Sligo has been raised with the Minister on a number of occasions. A second class at the school was suppressed on the basis of the NCSE's assessment that there was no need for it. In fact, there are three children who received recommendations post February and a fourth child who really would benefit from a place in a special class. Will that be delivered by September?
Sentiment score: 0.01
80. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who applied and paid on time who were refused places on school transport in September 2024; the specific changes that will be made to the school transport system in the 2025-26 school year, in comparison with 2024-25, to ensure that all children who want to avail of the scheme are accommodated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40611/25]
Sentiment score: 0.09
Will the Minister indicate the number of children who applied and paid on time who were refused places on school transport in September 2024? Will she outline the specific changes that will be made to the school transport for the 2025-26 school year, in comparison with 2024-25, to ensure that all children who want to avail of the scheme will be accommodated?
Sentiment score: 0.11
The Minister of State confirmed that 2,242 children were denied places last year. Many thousands more are forced to deal with Bus Éireann and the Department scrambling at the eleventh hour. There were 40,500 calls and 21,600 webchats with Bus Éireann last year in respect of the system. The system needs to be improved. There was a review. The fact is, however, that the Minister of State is choosing to ignore his Department's long-awaited review. The answer to the question I asked is that there will be no changes this year. The major recommendation to encourage people onto school transport related to the distance criteria. Recommendation 4.1 A) states that the phased reduction of the nearest-school-distance criteria was due to start last year - this was to be matched with investment in the fleet and drivers - and was to be completed this year. The new distance criteria were to apply this year. Will this happen? If not, why? If it does not happen, will the Minister of State accept that children will be locked out of the system?
Sentiment score: 0.02
We waited a long time for the review. To be clear, it stated that reducing the distance criteria would enable more children to be eligible for transport, increasing uptake and thus facilitating greater access to the labour market for working parents. This is mainly women. There are obvious benefits in terms of the environment, socialisation and meeting our climate action targets. The Government's target is a 30% reduction in private car escort to education journeys by 2030. To meet these targets and deliver on the recommendations, an additional 13,500 children need to be carried on school transport every year. That was supposed to start last year. The Minister of State is not doing this, so he is failing on every measure. Why is that the case? On a related point - and this will be a cause of great frustration and I expect there to be a full scramble again come the middle weeks of August - can this process be commenced earlier next year?
Sentiment score: 0.07