Public Expenditure Policy
1. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an update on general budgetary expenditure measures. [39486/25]
Is dócha gurb é seo an uair dheireanach a bheimid ag suí roimh an samhradh. An cheist is mó atá i mbéal an phobail faoi láthair ná céard go díreach a bheidh ag tarlú leis an gcáinaisnéis. I ask the Minister for an update on general budgetary expenditure measures. There had been an expectation that the summer economic statement was due to be released this week, but it now looks like it will be next week.
I thank Deputy Farrell. Some €106.4 billion in gross voted funding is being provided in 2025 to deliver on Government priorities and commitments. This significant level of investment reflects the priorities of budget 2025 and this Government’s commitment to deliver continued improvements in our infrastructure and enhance our existing public services to build a stronger future. End of June expenditure figures were published earlier this month in the Fiscal Monitor. Total gross voted expenditure for the first half of the year amounted to €50.9 billion. While spending is slightly higher than expected for the first half of the year with an overspend of €0.3 billion or 0.7% compared to profiles, the overall position is broadly in line with the amount profiled by Departments to be spent by the end of June. The majority of Vote groups remain in line with profile at an overall level.
Compared with this time last year, spending is €3.8 billion or 8.2% higher than the end of June 2024 position. This level of spending demonstrates sustained high level of investment in the delivery of public services and infrastructure.
Year-on-year capital spending levels have increased substantially, with capital spending of €5.8 billion, up 22.5% or €1.1 billion. There are substantial increases in key capital spending Departments such as the Department of housing, where spending is up 36% year on year, health, which is up €200 million, or 92%, and transport, which is up 20% over June 2024. Current spending of €45.1 billion has increased by €2.8 billion or 6.5% year on year. This reflects spending on budget priorities in areas such as increased social protection weekly rates, teaching posts and health sector investment. Investment in 2025 builds on the additional funding provided over recent years, which is delivering record levels of capital investment and public services to a growing and changing population. It is continuing the delivery of vital infrastructure needed to support our future economic and social progress.
I thank the Minister for that initial overview. It will not surprise him that I raise this, but one of the big things is the capital spend on infrastructure. Storm Éowyn put into sharp focus the creaking infrastructure we have across the west of Ireland, in particular. That is obviously an area I would like to see huge progress in. I am aware the Minister knows the west of Ireland quite well. I know he cannot give me specific figures on what exactly will be spent on budget day. However, will he identify some general capital projects that will get additional funding? It is fair to say we need to see identifiable progress in the likes of the basic crucial infrastructure that needs to be invested in, in the west of Ireland.
The overall process on the national development plan is continuing. We have approximately €20 billion to allocate across critical areas in our economy. We know with the Department of housing that continued investment in public infrastructure for housing is central to this process. We have set out the priority areas of housing, energy, transport and water infrastructure in particular. That will give Ministers across many areas additional head room to invest in infrastructure across our economy. We are continuing that process this week, so I cannot give an individual breakdown of what that will mean. It is just to say this will allow a lot of Ministers to increase the overall spend vis-à-vis the baseline allocations they were given in the previous national development plan process. We will be able to set out further clarity on that next week.
I look forward to seeing how that unfolds. It is incredibly important. It is interesting that on both the budgetary oversight and finance committees we have been dealing with the issue of tariffs. One of the big things is how we can protect ourselves. What may or may not happen nobody can predict. One of the longer term things is the investment in capital infrastructure, so we can build housing and our own economic structures. It is about being targeted and putting in place the kind of infrastructure that will help support indigenous companies as well. If there is a big focus on capital infrastructure, and there is a mind to address some of those issues, we need to put all of our focus on that. I also ask that the Minister mentions the issue of procurement, which I have mentioned before, to make sure we get the best value for the local economy and for local people out of the investment we make.
I share that objective. That is why giving that additional scope to Ministers across their respective policy areas to invest in critical infrastructure is essential as part of the national development plan. We are at a point of significant economic uncertainty and this Government is clearly setting out that we want to seriously increase our overall investment in critical infrastructure, which will provide the growth, prosperity and jobs for the future. We know that housing, energy, water and transport in particular are areas requiring that additional investment. There are other areas that require the additionality to provide for critical services and social infrastructure across communities in Ireland. That is also part of the wider process in terms of the national development plan. We share those objectives, particularly when we have the wider uncertainty. We need to provide for that growth and opportunity for the future. We will be able to set out further detail next week.
Question No. 2 taken with Written Answers.
Deputy Paul Murphy is not here, so it is Deputy Farrell's lucky day. She has two in a row. You are up again.
Go raibh maith agat. Sometimes you are waiting a few minutes in between questions.
Protected Disclosures
3. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if his Department’s submission to the EU review of the protected disclosures regime will refer to the views of whistleblowers from the Farrelly commission and Children's Health Ireland (children’s hip surgeries) about the reprisals they faced. [39487/25]
The Minister might be aware that I have a particular interest in the issue of protected disclosures and protecting whistleblowers. I worked well with the previous Minister, Michael McGrath, in regard to the EU directive. I put forward my own legislation on this. There is obviously now going to be the review of that. There is the EU review of the protected disclosures regime, and I am interested in an update on that.
I thank the Deputy for this question. On 3 July 2024 the European Commission presented a report on the transposition of the EU whistleblower directive 2019/1937. This report stated that a review of the directive, which is referred to in Article 27(3), would be finalised no later than 2026. This review or evaluation will assess the functioning of the directive and consider the need for additional measures, including amendments, with a view to extending its scope to further EU acts or areas. Ireland will have an opportunity to input into this review and raise any concerns or emerging issues with the European Commission, through participation by officials in my Department in meetings of the Commission's whistleblowers expert group.
I would also make the Deputy aware that a statutory review of the Protected Disclosures Act is due to commence and as part of this review a public consultation will be carried out. We would encourage different stakeholders and whistleblowers to participate in this consultation. The Protected Disclosures Act 2014 was amended in 2022 and these amendments sought to address a number of issues that were raised during the 2018 statutory review of the 2014 Act. The upcoming statutory review will provide a valuable insight into the operation of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act and the views and experiences of all stakeholders and whistleblowers will be welcome as part of this.
When the Government was transposing the EU directive on protected disclosures, I was clear at the time and I voiced significant concerns. I felt it was perhaps deliberately going to weaken the transposition. I said I felt the setting up of the protected disclosures office was a retrograde step and that it removed a protected disclosure as a political issue. Previously, an Opposition TD could deliver a protected disclosure to the relevant Minister and then seek to know what progress had been made. Now, the Minister will simply say that has been handed to the protected disclosures office and it has nothing to do with them any more. We have had very serious cases recently, which were well publicised and extensively dealt with in this House. Those were the whistleblowers in the Grace and CHI cases. We need to make sure we are protecting these people. People come forward because they passionately believe something has gone wrong, and the people have been wronged. We need to protect them. Far too often in this State they are just not protected.
Everybody should be protected, particularly when they raise wrongdoing with public bodies. I think we all share that objective across the House. We have two areas of legislation between 2014 and 2022, some of which was the transposition of EU legislation and also policy direction in an Irish context. We have different points now in the context of the European review, which is happening, and the wider review that will happen in the Irish context, on which we would welcome inputs from across the House and from whistleblowers. We have brought through reforms.
As a Department, we are funding the supports through Transparency International Ireland, to support whistleblowers making any claims. Exchequer funding has been given this year to Transparency International Ireland as part of legal advice to be provided to those who want to make a protected disclosure. I welcome that the European Commission has an ongoing review of this, so we will listen to the wider public feedback on the particular domestic regimes that exist in different member states. That will allow any required reforms out of that to occur.
I share the broader objectives relating to ensuring that we have a protected disclosure regime which supports and protects whistleblowers. That is my policy interest in this area.
One thing I absolutely encourage and urge the Minister to do is listen to the voices of whistleblowers. That is essential. We have had an issue for far too long whereby whistleblowers highlight wrongdoing and feel that they are persecuted after doing so. Unfortunately, from listening to the real-life experiences of whistleblowers, I do not think the position in that regard has changed. We need to do everything we can to protect these people because when it comes to revealing wrongdoing in the State, more often than not, the relevant information actually comes from whistleblowers. I will not name any of them because there are far too many to mention, but the thing that is common to all of them is how their efforts to reveal wrongdoing were treated. They say people circled the wagons, tried to protect the reputation of the organisations involved and frustrate the whistleblowers' efforts, and, if needs be, questioned their motives, character and so on.
We had incredible witnesses before the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach in the previous Dáil who told us about their lived experiences as whistleblowers. I hope very much that their words will be reflected in the Department's engagement with the EU as part of this review.
Obviously, the European Commission presented a report in July of last year. The review will be launched this year and finalised next year. That wider evaluation will be essential in order to monitor the transposition of the directive into law in Ireland and in other member states. It will provide an opportunity for a wider input regarding the reforms that may be required as part of the broader EU transposition. From a domestic perspective, we will have a statutory review of the operation of the Protected Disclosures Act. This is due to happen in parallel with the EU review over the coming years. In the context of domestic, international and European legislation, it is important that we have the review. We must also look at the ongoing supports that are available to whistleblowers. That will be essential in the period ahead.
As Deputy Heneghan is not here to take Question No. 4, we will move to Deputy Kerrane.
Special Educational Needs
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]
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?
The NCSE is the national agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. This year, the NCSE has sanctioned 407 new special classes for the coming school year, bringing to 3,742 the number of special classes in our schools. There are new classes in every county in Ireland and, with the number of special classes doubling in the last five years, this now means that there are more classes than ever ensuring greater numbers of children can access places, most importantly, in their local schools. Combined with 300 new special school places, this brings to 2,700 the number of new school places for children with special educational needs.
The additional capacity, together with the movement of children across existing classes, means that my Department and the NCSE have created more capacity than required for the children known to the NCSE by the deadline of February 2025. The NCSE has advised me that, outside Dublin, all children known to it by the February deadline who require a special class placement at primary and post-primary level have received a place. The NCSE is working intensively with the parents of a small number of children in the Dublin area who are seeking a special class or special school placement, and with the schools concerned to finalise the arrangements for the 2025-2026 school year.
In addition, the NCSE is working closely with parents who came forward after the February deadline to support them into available class placements. It will always be the case, no matter what deadline is put in place, that there will be children who do not meet it. We are therefore working actively to make sure those children have a place identified for them.
Asking parents to engage early with the NCSE when seeking a special placement has enhanced the NCSE’s capacity to plan and make timely provision in local areas. Therefore, for the 2026-2027 school year we are asking families to engage by 1 October 2025 - four months earlier than this year - to support this planning further and allow the NCSE to sanction classes much quicker. The NCSE will be actively communicating this requirement nationally.
An additional 768 teaching and 1,600 SNA posts were provided in budget 2025 to support schools in this endeavour and all schools have been notified of their allocations for the coming school year.
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.
Since we last spoke at the committee, significant progress has been made. Every week, the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and I, meet with the NCSE to make sure that more places are being offered. Just under 3,300, as I said previously, were notified before the February deadline. The number after that, to be honest, is changing. Every week, more children are coming to the attention of the NCSE. In the context of the February deadline, the majority of the children involved are being supported in placements in mainstream schools, with extra support, special classes or special schools, as necessary. Outside Dublin, places have been identified for children. A small number of allocations are still being made in the context of the enrolment process. Within Dublin, a very small number of special classes and special school places are being worked through. The number changes every time we speak. What I can say is that there are more places than there is need. That has been identified. That includes those who are coming forward. Our intention is that by September, every child will know where they are going and will have a place. That is what is actively being worked on.
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?
I utterly reject the suggestion that parents are being gaslit. There has never been as much engagement with parents through the NSCE to support them. I accept that a small number of children still do not have their places. We are working on that. We will work all summer to make sure they have their places allocated to them. Parents and schools are being engaged with throughout all of this. The Department and the NCSE are working with schools. I acknowledge the many schools that are providing additional places, classrooms and capacity, even as we speak. The 400 new classes have now become 407. It is absolutely the case that in some areas where schools have been sanctioned for perhaps two classrooms, it is now one or even one classroom and it is not needed. That is simply on the basis that, in the context of the overall level need, a decision was taken that it was not necessary. That is not to say that next year a school might not be approved and, obviously, the classroom would open.
It is important that we are able to plan. That is why the deadline is there. It does not mean that children outside of the deadline are going to be excluded. If we have to put a structure in place to make sure that we have a good sense of exactly what the need is, where children should be and where their local schools are, however, that is the most important thing outside of all of this. We will be working all summer. The NCSE is working over the summer to make sure that every child will have their place for September.
Question No. 79 taken with Written Answers.
School Transport
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]
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?
The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. In the current school year, more than 173,000 children have been transported daily in approximately 8,200 vehicles across 10,600 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In relation to the number of children who applied and paid on time and were unsuccessful in obtaining a seat in the 2024-25 school year, Bus Éireann has advised that 1,343 ineligible applicants, otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and 899 new applications for families of eligible children did not obtain seats. Ineligible applicants were for a mainstream scheme where a service existed. The families of eligible children were offered a remote area grant due to no service existing. Both groups comprise a total of 2,242 children for the 2024-25 school year.
Temporary alleviation measures will continue for the 2025-26 school year at post-primary level. A phased implementation of School Transport 2030 began at the start of the 2024-25 school year. This involved a number of pilot programmes held in conjunction with the National Transport Authority, the Department of Transport and Bus Éireann.
A total of 14 pilot programmes were conducted in the 2024-25 school year. These will provide valuable insights into the impact of increased demand on the scheme, the potential for integrating public transport with school transport and opportunities to promote more sustainable modes of transport. It is intended to continue the current pilots for the upcoming school year.
Work is also under way to identify where further pilot programmes may be conducted. Implementation of the review’s recommendations will continue to be planned, subject to the availability of resources.
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?
School transport is hugely important for every schoolgoing child at primary and post-primary level. When the school transport scheme was introduced, it was for families who may have been without transport. Now, it is because of working families. We need to make sure they avail of it and that there are enough buses for it.
There is an ambitious programme as part of School Transport 2030 to make sure we get more and more children onto the school bus service. This year, we will again have more students on the service. We understand the importance of that. We will be working on the review of School Transport 2030 on a phased basis. The pilot programmes conducted in the previous school year are being assessed. They contain very important information to plan how we go forward. It is not possible in rural areas but in many other areas we will see whether we can integrate the school transport system for the greater benefit of the students and their families.
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?
I take the point on starting the process earlier. I always say that from 15 August it becomes school bus ticket time. A large number of tickets are processed every day by the Department and Bus Éireann. A great deal of work is being done on this. A lot of work has been done on the entire school transport system and expanding it. I take the point that a large number of students would love to benefit from it. Our aim is to try to get more students onto the school transport system. We are working within the resources available to us, and we are trying to make sure we are giving the best possible service using the resources that are available. On some routes, there are issues with getting contractors and drivers. I take the point. It is April when people first go on and they then pay by 6 June. It takes a number of weeks for this to be done, but it is something we will look at.
Departmental Strategies
81. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on implementation of the youth work strategy, Opportunities for Youth. [39687/25]
The opportunities for youth strategy for the period 2024 to 2028 outlines 18 priority actions to be delivered by the end of 2026, including the establishment of an interdepartmental group and a review of the Youth Work Act 2021. Will the Minister provide an update on the implementation of the strategy?
Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services is the strategic framework for the youth work sector. It was published in September 2024. The purpose of the strategy is to provide a platform for an effective, data-driven and joined-up approach to the delivery of youth work and related services. The implementation of the strategy will be reported on via the Young Ireland governance structures. The implementation of this strategy, and the co-operation of all relevant actors, will be supported via a new national youth sector reference group, as well as a group with representatives from Departments and agencies that provide funding to, or interact with, the youth sector. This is being established. Importantly, this group will provide an opportunity for young people to engage. I have asked the Department, at the earliest opportunity, to make sure we reach as many young people as possible, in particular those who would not necessarily engage with structures such as this.
Since the transfer of responsibility for this matter to the Department on 1 May, I have included actions in the recently published education plan to bring forward these structures and have had my first meetings with the national youth organisations. I have met the umbrella organisations and had good engagement with them. They are very keen to ensure they have an active role in the implementation of the strategy. I am also keen that they have this active role. I have set out that the Department will revert to stakeholders in the coming period on draft implementation arrangements for the strategy, including consultation and the engagement structures.
Work is progressing well on delivery of several of the actions for which the Department has lead responsibility. We are still working on the full implementation plan, but the actions have not been paused. We are not waiting to move ahead. Under Action 7, a workforce survey was developed in late 2024 and disseminated to youth workers to establish baseline data and information. This data is being analysed at present. In March this year a questionnaire issued to youth organisations to provide the Department with a more in-depth understanding of the challenges experienced by youth organisations in workforce recruitment and retention. These are coming through clearly from the organisations.
Under Action 8, departmental officials have begun work on a review of the UBU Your Place Your Space scheme. The review will assess how the scheme operates, the extent to which the scheme is meeting its objectives, and whether the processes and procedures that underpin the scheme are fit for purpose. Ten new UBUs will be supported this year and we are working through the applications we have received.
Youth work is indeed fundamental to our society. I stand here as a TD who came through youth work and youth theatre. I was a youth worker for a very long time. I see in my community the importance of youth work. Responsibility for youth has come within the remit of the Department. We very much need to keep it as a priority. There is a lot in education, and I would not like youth work, in all its guises, to be forgotten.
I would love to hear more about timelines. When we plan and do new things, there is a lot of consultation. It is great the Minister recognises that there is a recruitment and retention issue regarding youth workers. A large amount of work goes into applying for funding for youth work organisations, and it takes away from the work that youth workers can do on the ground. I would love to see the funding become multi-annual. Everything comes back to the young person. I would love to hear more about timelines from the Minister.
I acknowledge, as the Deputy has, the fantastic work done by our youth workers. So much of it is unseen, and it contributes. We have spoken here many times about challenges in school and making sure children are in school. Youth workers in particular support bringing people back to school and making sure they are happy and they are active. My role and my intention, now that youth is under the remit of the Department of education, is that we create these links and make them even stronger. I know it is something Deputy Cummins is passionate about, not only for DEIS schools and in disadvantaged areas but for young people. My objective through the youth strategy is that as many young people as possible have access to these services. There is often an assumption it is more urban areas or more built-up areas where young people need access to services. People living in the most rural part of the country might need access to a service. In the context of the new UBU services, my focus is to try to make sure we have a geographical spread.
I will be able to give Deputy Cummins timelines on the various stages of implementation once the plan is fully formed. We are actively working to make sure, between now and the end of when the strategy is set, that everybody knows what they are doing and what their timeline is and making sure, most importantly, that they stick to it.
When we know how well youth work works, we can see what happens when it is absent. In my community in Dublin South Central the Donore Avenue community centre burnt down four years ago. A number of voluntary and paid youth work services were based there. Their absence has meant more young people do not have constructive things to do, and this has led to antisocial behaviour and challenges. The thing about youth work is that it is something that is often unseen but when it is absent we know exactly what the level of need is. Given that it is July, youth workers throughout the country are doing trips. They are bringing young people everywhere and giving them great opportunities. As the Minister has said, I would love to see more young people involved. Traditionally, youth work was focused in disadvantaged areas. I would love to see every young person in Ireland who wants to access a youth service to be able to do so. I look forward to working with the Minister and I thank her very much.
There is a body of work still to do on just this and identifying where are the gaps. This is separate work that is happening in the Department on mapping exactly where the services are and what types of services are being provided. This is so we can identify where the gaps are and link up better with the education portfolio and identify what resources are needed. I want to make sure current funding increases as much as possible. There is approximately €85 million between current and capital funding provided for our youth services at present. I want to see this increased, not only from the current perspective but also on the capital side.
I think of youth organisations in my own county of Meath. They are doing phenomenal work but they are working in old buildings that were not made for this particular purpose and are not fit for it. It is important to support them to upgrade, modernise or identify new spaces, where possible. We must also make sure we have the workers. It is a really important objective of mine to use the workforce plan to identify not only how to attract more people into the profession, but also how to keep the really fantastic workers that are there.
Special Educational Needs
82. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth if children attending a school (details supplied) who have applied for a place in a special school and have a letter from the NCSE that they are entitled to such a place will get a place in one of the two new autism classes being established in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40455/25]
Two weeks ago, parents of children who attend St. Mochta's National School in Clonsilla who have diagnoses and who have been approved for a place in an autism class were shocked to find out that, even though the school is opening two autism classes, none of their children was being offered a place. I have met the parents and the school leadership, as have other Deputies. A lot of work has gone on in the background on this matter. I hope the Minister of State has some good news for the school, the parents, the school leadership and particularly for six young children in Clonsilla.
I thank the Deputy very much for the question. The NCSE is the statutory agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. The National Council for Special Education has sanctioned 407 new special classes for the coming year, bringing the total number of special classes in our schools to 3,742. Combined with 300 new special school places, this brings to 2,700 the number of new school places for children with special educational needs. This additional capacity, together with the movement of children across existing classes, means that the Department and the NCSE have created more capacity than required for the children known to the NCSE by the deadline of February 2025.
The NCSE has advised me that, outside of Dublin, all children known to them by the February deadline who required a special class placement at primary and post-primary level had received places. With regard to a small number of children in the Dublin area who are seeking a special class or special school placement, the NCSE is working intensively with the parents and schools concerned to finalise arrangements for the 2025-26 school year. In addition, the NCSE is working closely with parents who came forward post the February deadline to support their children into available placements.
Notwithstanding this positive work, the Deputy will be aware of the ongoing challenges in securing sufficient special class places in the Dublin area. Legislation compelling schools to open special classes where they had capacity to do so was introduced in 2018 and has been used in the Dublin area. Since then, the legislation has been streamlined to allow for shorter timeframes in which to compel schools to open the required classes and this has been a factor in the NCSE’s ability to secure agreement from schools to co-operate when asked to open special classes.
For the 2024-25 school year, the NCSE prioritised opening classes in medium or larger primary schools that had not yet opened a class. I will refer to the specific school the Deputy mentioned in my supplementary reply, if that is okay.
The Minister of State knows how to build the tension. He has given us some general points but we are still on tenterhooks as to what is happening in this particular school. I believe the Minister of State has a little bit more to say, so I will allow him to complete his answer.
The NCSE is working intensively with the parents and schools concerned. The school the Deputy has referred to is one such school. The NCSE engaged with the school to secure agreement to open classes. The NCSE visited the school in September 2024 and, with the support of the school patron body, it worked to sanction two classes.
We can now confirm that the issues that were the subject of the Deputy's representation and those of others over recent weeks have been resolved for the school. It is my very clear understanding that all children, particularly those from within the school cohort, have now been placed within the school. I understand that agreement has been reached between the Department, the NCSE and the school authorities to that effect.
I thank the Minister of State. I welcome that clarification. He spoke about intensive work having taken place around the country to support the opening of new classes. I know very intensive work took place between parents, the school leadership team, the principal, the deputy principal and the chair of the board of management over the last two weeks. I have met parents, as have other Deputies. I thank the Minister of State because I know he made an intervention as well. I want to acknowledge that.
It is important to say that, while the NCSE is working very hard to open new autism classes, it dropped the ball here. It is not acceptable that children in this school who had diagnoses and who had a letter stating they were entitled to a class would watch other children get places in newly opened classes while they did not. It has always been Government policy that children deserve an appropriate place. I know there is pressure here but has something been learned from the experience of St. Mochta's?
It is very important to be fair to the NCSE, the Department and ourselves. A deadline of February was put in place. Parents needed to make contact by that deadline. We worked to those figures. A number of children have come forward post the February deadline in recent weeks. We are actively engaging with those families and with schools in their communities to ensure children are accommodated in appropriate places. A decision was made a number of months ago and the Minister and I, having engaged with the Department and the NCSE, have moved the deadline for families, guardians and schools to make contact with the NCSE to identify children who will need special classes back to 1 October for next year. That will give us a better sense of the challenges that will be faced in the next school year. It is important that we have this information earlier so that we can make sure we have places available. We will be giving certainty to families prior to Christmas this year. We intend to make sure we get at this earlier.
Irish Language
83. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider introducing a three-week mandatory Gaeltacht course for every student studying Irish at leaving certificate level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40612/25]
I will touch on the inability of so many Irish people to converse in our national language on leaving secondary school after 14 years of education. This is obviously something a lot of people talk about but I am concerned about whether we are actually addressing it and enhancing the ability of all of us to communicate as Gaeilge. Will the Minister consider introducing a three-week mandatory Gaeltacht course for every leaving certificate student studying Gaeilge?
In line with the 20-year strategy for the Irish language, my Department is committed to improving the teaching and learning of Irish in primary and post-primary schools. I share the Deputy's concern. We all went through school and would like to have better Irish than we do. While there are no plans to make attendance at a Gaeltacht summer course mandatory, my Department is mindful that we need a flexible approach to giving students opportunities for immersive experiences in the Irish language outside of school. These must take into account the needs, preferences and geographical location of students. As someone who attended Gaeltacht courses numerous times when I was younger, I see the many benefits they have for our young people. I support the provision of activities through Irish outside school hours.
I intend to publish an action plan for Irish in English-medium schools and commence its implementation. This builds on the work of a new unit established within the Department in 2024 to support the teaching and learning of Irish in schools that function through English. The plan is built on the structure of our earlier Gaeltacht plan, which has really enhanced and strengthened the teaching of Irish in our Gaeltacht regions. I want to make sure that the plan for the teaching of Irish in English-medium schools is just as successful.
In consultation with relevant organisations, my Department is exploring how children’s and young people’s use of Irish outside of school can be facilitated through increasing awareness of the opportunities currently available, encouraging student participation in these activities and extending these opportunities, where possible. We are particularly focusing on making it fun and enjoyable and ensuring it does not feel like a challenge, as it does for many children in school.
With regard to Gaeltacht summer courses, my Department’s inspectorate provides advice and monitors and reports on matters relating to teaching, learning and general quality. The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht supports and promotes Irish language summer courses in Gaeltacht regions in a number of ways. Under scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge, the Irish language learners scheme, a subsidy is payable to qualifying Gaeltacht households providing accommodation for students attending Irish language courses.
After 14 years of education, it seems like the whole purpose is to get to the leaving certificate exam and to get as many points as possible out of it. That is the sense among a lot of students when they leave school. The instant the oral is over and the paper is written, they feel they are finished with Irish and stop practising it. The love of it and the whole point of why they are studying it have not been introduced.
I am concerned about the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment proposal to reduce the Irish oral exam to 35% from 40%. It should be going in the opposite direction to 50%. When students leave after studying Gaeilge for so many years, they should have a confidence in speaking Irish, similar to the way students who, after five or six years studying German, French or Spanish, would be confident to attempt a conversation in those languages. Enhancing the oral exam on that side would be a very positive thing.
I mentioned a strategy that is being developed. The plan is to finalise that in the coming weeks. It builds on extensive consultation that took place at national and school stakeholder levels between January and May of this year. We met almost 200 participants at a national level and over 500 participants at school level. The consultation showed that, exactly as the Deputy pointed out, children and young people wanted to be able to speak Irish. They wanted to be able to speak it outside of school as well.
It is important that we have a multifaceted and flexible approach to giving students different opportunities for immersive experiences. The only way to learn a language is to be immersed in it - listening to it, speaking it and hearing it. That is not what happens in our schools, except for Gaeltacht schools, Gaelcholáistí and Gaelscoileanna. The action plan is looking at how we can create that for young people.
Separately, the review of the leaving certificate is happening at the moment. While the specifications for Irish have not been finalised, that work is under way. We have to look at the changes that took place at junior cycle level. We have to learn from those, identify what has worked and what has not worked, and make sure any changes to our leaving certificate senior cycle curriculum encourage, support and make Irish enjoyable for our learners. That is what I have asked the objective to be.
The Minister has lined up my final point perfectly in terms of immersive experiences. Gaeltacht courses for student teachers are free for primary teachers but are costing post-primary teachers about €2,000 when they have to do them. It has been raised with me numerous times in Mary Immaculate College in Thurles by the staff and particularly by the students there. It is an obstacle for students when they are looking at a course or considering what subjects they would like to teach at the end of their college education. It is an extra financial barrier that they would not have to face if they chose business, maths or something else. I have asked a good few times why the post-primary teachers cannot get that free course while the primary teachers can. The answer coming back from the Department is that they have other options, namely, they could go to a Gaelcholáiste or do different things. As the Minister just said, though, the immersive experience is by far the most beneficial. We need to look at offering free fees for summer Gaeltacht courses for post-primary teachers.
The Deputy is right that the current requirement for the mandatory tréimhsí foghlama sa Ghaeltacht, the Gaeltacht learning periods for primary initial teacher education programmes, is the two-week placement. This is outlined in the Teaching Council's policy, entitled "Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education". The funding was provided for that in budget 2020. The grant rate is set at about €845 per placement and the cost is about €2.3 million. That is not something that has always been in place and the fund was not available previously but it has now been provided for.
Any provision of funding for post-primary teachers would have to be negotiated through the budget. I fully take on board the Deputy's point. If we want young people to have that immersive experience, their teachers need to get the best training possible at every level, not just at primary level. We must make sure that our post-primary teachers have that access as well. It will have to be considered in an overall budgetary context.