85. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline, in the context of special education preparedness for September 2025, the number of children with special educational needs but currently without an appropriate school place for September 2025, and the plans to address this; the way in which special needs assistant, SNA, posts will be allocated to these children and all children with special educational needs in September 2025; if all schools with new special classes due to open in September have had their SNA allocation confirmed, for example; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31563/25]
Sentiment score: 0.31
With regard to special education preparedness for September 2025, how many children with special educational needs are currently without an appropriate school place for September 2025? What plans are there to address this? In what way will special needs assistant be allocated to these children and all children with special educational needs in September 2025? Have all schools with new special classes due to open in September had their SNA allocation confirmed, for example? I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter.
Sentiment score: 0.35
I will drill down into those headline figures. They are figures which have been iterated for some time. My question was on the number of children with an identified recommendation that has been notified to the NCSE but who do not yet have an appropriate school place for September. Do we have that figure today? The Minister outlined that some schools have not yet opened up their offering and that is an issue in itself. Last year we were notified at the start of September that 126 children did not have a place. On Saturday there was a protest in Dublin and it was said 60 children did not have a place. There were an additional four children that Rachel Martin from FUSS Ireland and the equality in education campaign said did not have a place. My colleague, Deputy Daly, has identified five children in Murhur National School who do not have a sanctioned class or a place. Do we have that figure? If not, why not?
Sentiment score: -0.02
The Minister will be before the committee and I, as well as all those in opposition, would appreciate detailed, regular updates between now and September on the progress being made. Headline figures tell one story but I hope, as we accommodate more children, we can get the detail on that. I make the point again on the children in Dublin and the four children in Sligo. I can send on details. There are five children in Murhur National School, Moyvane, County Kerry. There is potential there to accommodate children. There is physical space but a classroom is not sanctioned, although there is demand for it. I will ask a follow-up question. We have long got responses referring to more than 22,000 SNAs employed, plus 1,600 sanctioned in budget 2025. Now the Minister tells us there are 23,100. That is 500 short. She said in every response we got - I am sure this will be reflected by others - that more than 22,000 SNAs are employed in the system and 1,600 extra SNA posts were sanctioned in budget 2025. In her response to this question, she said 23,100 would be allocated for next year. There is a shortfall of 500. Can the Minister explain that?
Sentiment score: 0.10
87. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, in light of the deep concern regarding, among other things, the resourcing of schools, training of teachers and impact of artificial intelligence on the validity and authenticity of additional assessment components, and the related recent vote of rejection by the ASTI union, she will pause her accelerated plan for senior cycle redevelopment and re-engage with teachers and their representatives to ensure their concerns are addressed and the quality and integrity of the leaving certificate is maintained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31564/25]
Sentiment score: 0.20
In light of the deep concern relating to, among other things, the resourcing of schools, training of teachers and impact of artificial intelligence on the validity and authenticity of additional assessment components, and the related recent vote of rejection by the ASTI union, will the Minister pause her accelerated plan for senior cycle redevelopment and re-engage with teachers and their representatives to ensure their concerns are addressed and the quality and integrity of the leaving certificate is maintained?
Sentiment score: 0.59
We need to separate some of the issues here. Nobody is arguing against senior cycle redevelopment. What is relevant is the approach. We need to be clear that the issue is the accelerated approach and the level of preparedness at school and departmental levels across the board to make these changes. The resourcing of schools is a very clear issue. The resources to adequately resource schools are not there and neither are the plans. It is the same with the training of staff. I wish to focus on the issue of artificial intelligence. I firmly believe the impact of artificial intelligence has not been adequately assessed. The Minister stated students will have the opportunity to look at AI and then replicate it in an exam scenario. That is not the issue. Rather, it is that the actual AI material is presented as the student's own work. There is no scrutiny or oversight of that. Researchers from Deakin University stated, "Generative artificial intelligence ... increasingly allows students to complete assessment tasks without possessing the relevant knowledge or skills." That is a fundamental empirical piece. The issue here is the integrity and quality of the leaving certificate.
Sentiment score: 0.16
Very real concerns have been articulated regarding the use of AI. I made that point from the research in Deakin University. This week, at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, I asked the witnesses from Research Ireland how this impacts at third level. They said they have specifically changed their assessment process to ensure AI is not being presented as a student's own work. There are fundamental questions about authenticity, validity and equity that have to be considered. I do not think they have been adequately considered in respect of artificial intelligence. I appreciate the point the Minister is making in that it is here and we have to figure out ways to deal with it. However, to the point that it can be presented as students' own work and that they may give a false impression that they have skills or knowledge they do not have, it is about the integrity of the leaving certificate. I feel, as do others, that given the consideration of those facts, we all surely have the ambition to ensure the integrity and the quality of the leaving certificate is maintained.
Sentiment score: 0.37