80. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of applications made to date to the National Council for Special Education from parents seeking a special class or special school placement for their child; the number of applications made since the deadline of 1 October passed; the status of the roll-out of new special class and special school places to meet that need; the number of those children who do not have an offer of a school place on 25 May 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40992/26]
Sentiment score: 0.31
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. It is reassuring to hear that the Department tracks the numbers and the placements. It would be more reassuring if it would make those public and provide them to Opposition politicians when they ask questions on them. I will ask again in relation to the figures. The last time we were here the Minister of State indicated there were 7,860 notifications to the NCSE before 1 October, that about 75% of those children were already in school and that he was dealing with around 2,000 new applications. Based on 546 new classes sanctioned, the Minister of State has 3,276 places to address that need. How many children do not have an offer of a school place at this stage?
Sentiment score: 0.12
There are a couple of things there. We do not have the figure for the number of children who do not have an offer. We do not have the figure for the number of children who were notified to the NCSE after 1 October. I presume the Minister of State does have those figures but is not making them publicly available. That raises very significant concerns. Based on my estimation, we are talking about hundreds of children without an offer and thousands of children in inappropriate school placements - nearly 4,000 based on the applications prior to 1 October. It is the Minister of State's formula of words that he "encourages" schools to go now and begin their admissions policy. Is he tracking that at all? Of the 546 classes that have been sanctioned, how many have their admissions completed or ongoing? Does the Minister of State know?
Sentiment score: 0.04
82. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the ongoing negotiations with school caretakers and school secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40993/26]
Sentiment score: 0.01
I wish to ask the Minister to provide an update on the ongoing negotiations with school caretakers and secretaries.
Sentiment score: 0.40
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. The reason I raised this issue is because we are coming towards the end of the school year. This will be our last opportunity at priority questions before the school year ends. At the start of the school year, school secretaries and caretakers reluctantly went on strike outside schools in pursuit of pension parity. We could all see - I hope Government could see it, and it surely knows it - the level of public support, particularly within school communities, that there is for school secretaries and caretakers. Their claim is a just one. It is for pension parity. The deep concern at this stage - and I take on board every word of the Minister's response - is that time is moving on and these individuals, in some circumstances, are making decisions about when they will retire and be able to move on. Time is of the essence.
Sentiment score: 0.11
In this, I want to make the case for the Minister to play whatever helpful role she can with the parties involved to try to move things on and bring them to a successful resolution. We are aware of some of the issues at stake here: access, for example, to a public service pension scheme versus auto-enrolment versus a third, bespoke model. I will make a strong case, and I hope the Minister hears it and can pass it on to her ministerial colleagues. There is a real concern that there will not be any recognition of years of dedicated contributions, and that, for example, those people who have longer service, fewer years left on their contracts and are closer retirement will be disadvantaged. It is important that any pension scheme recognises the years of dedicated service that people have given. This cannot be about a future scheme for new people coming into the job.
Sentiment score: 0.38