Issues were raised with regard to a pension as well. Government has instead approved the expansion of the education support payments scheme under the Act to provide support for informal learning and self-development, as well as formal learning. This revised arrangement has been accepted by the survivors. My Department is finalising arrangements for the delivery of these supports as soon as possible. The Deputy can be assured of that. I would also note that my Department has engaged Sage Advocacy, an independent adv…

To reassure the Deputy, I know the importance given to this from the Taoiseach down in respect of providing these supports as quickly as possible. My Department is working to finalise the arrangements of the delivery of those supports the survivors agreed to as quickly as possible. That includes engaging with relevant Departments and agencies, particularly the Department of public expenditure and reform and digitalisation and the Departments of Health and Children, Disability and Equality and the HSE. Further infor…

I thank the Deputy. The report of the scoping inquiry into historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders was published in 2024. The Government takes revelations of historical sexual abuse in schools extremely seriously and has established an independent commission of investigation, chaired by Mr. Justice Michael MacGrath, to investigate the handling of complaints and allegations of historical sexual abuse in schools. The commission was the principal recommendation of the report of the …

As regards how long it will take that interdepartmental group to report, the work of that group is very complex and involves several Departments, State agencies and relevant expertise. The work of that IDG is entirely separate from the work of the commission, which does not have a role in redress. That group aims to complete its work within 18 months. When that interdepartmental group has completed its work, it will provide a report to me and then subsequently to Government. Many of the survivors who spoke to that …

I outlined the process for this to Deputy Cummins. Work is ongoing in my Department on that issue of the supports agreed by the survivors with an Taoiseach prior to Christmas. The Deputy made reference to two different issues there. Regarding the commission of investigation, Mr. Justice Michael MacGrath was appointed effective from 1 October 2025 as chair of that commission. It is independent in its function and the chair has outlined an essential preparatory work phase which must be completed by the commission pri…

The State Examinations Commission has responsibility for the operation of the State examinations including the scheme of reasonable accommodations at certificate examinations, RACE. The purpose of the RACE scheme is to remove barriers for students who have special educational needs to enable them to show what they know and can do in the examinations on an equal footing. Access to accommodations is based on the individual needs of the candidate and not on the provision of a diagnosis. Applications are made to the St…

The State Examinations Commission, SEC, has operational responsibility for State examinations, including the RACE scheme. The SEC has looked very carefully at how to operationalise that commitment to additional time and it has taken account of the need to balance on the one hand access for candidates with special educational needs and on the other hand equity and fairness for all candidates undertaking their examinations. This is an interim scheme for 2026. It will be evaluated and that evaluation, together with on…

There is an interim review under way. This is evidence based. This is the work of the State Examinations Commission, which is independent. There is a large amount of consultation, research and evidence as part of this decision. This is a rolling programme and it is considering international best practice in relation to this. The review of the RACE scheme is comprehensive and system-wide. It seeks to address the relevant issues that take account of best practice internationally. That is the work of the State Examina…

The Deputy will be aware I recently published the €7.55 billion NDP sectoral investment plan for the education and youth sectors for 2026 out to 2030. Of the €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that €5 billion of that will be used for project roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings. An additional €2.25 billion of the NDP funding will focus on supporting the existing school estates, including maintenance, minor works, and the climate action summer work scheme. Project roll-out und…

I reiterate that €193 million in capital funding was provided between 2020 and 2025 in Dublin 24. There are seven school projects under construction in Dublin 24. Some 23 schools have been upgraded, either through the provision of new school buildings or large-scale extensions. That is not the end of the matter, however, because this is a rolling programme out to 2030. My Department will continue to engage with patrons and schools across the country, including in Deputy Murphy's constituency and in Dublin, to infor…

I will come back to the Deputy with further details.

I acknowledge there are more schools that need investment and that is why this is a plan that goes out to 2030. What the Department of education will be doing now is engaging with schools across the country. For the first time, by the end of this year, the Department will have completed an energy and condition survey of all of our 4,000 schools across the country. That will really help with the prioritisation. It will also look at the demographics in an area, enrolments, the condition of the school and how we can p…

The roll-out of the pilot single online application for schools represents a significant step towards improving the school admissions system. This system has for the first time provided families with a single online application process and introduced synchronised and streamlined timelines for schools to manage admissions and issue offers. In recent years, demographic shifts and increasing demand for special class provision for students with special educational needs have placed growing pressure on school admissions…

The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is doing great work on the special education side of the Department. That 1 October deadline is now moving. With regard to the data coming to the NCSE, it is getting notifications of requests and the need for special classes and special school places earlier. We absolutely acknowledge that the demand is increasing, and we are responding to that. The education budget for special education is now €3 billion. We will continue to work, both the Minister of State and I, with the N…

I am open to feedback as well from parents and schools that are engaging with this common application process. The Department is engaging with them but feedback from Deputies is very much welcomed because we want to get this right in relation to any child seeking a place, be it for a mainstream class or special class. We want to work with them. I absolutely recognise the frustration of parents when trying to access a school place. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is working with me, the Minister of…

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a project comprising two mainstream classrooms, two special education tuition rooms and one special education needs base has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. This project was approved in 2022 and my Department has been engaging with the school to support it through stage 1 of the architectural design process to advance a design solution that is consistent with the approved project brief and in line with the Department’s technical standards. My Department has…

As the Deputy will appreciate, I cannot comment on the technical details of any school across the country. I can advise and certainly assist. I am sure there is a line of communication, as there always is, for these building projects where the design team of the school engages directly with the Department of education. I will certainly follow up with the Department to get clarity around that and ensure it engages with the school directly around those particular concerns. As the Deputy can imagine, I cannot give any…

I will certainly raise the matter with the Department and ensure it engages directly with the school.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Tackling educational disadvantage is a key priority for me as Minister. The DEIS programme is my Department's policy to support schools with high concentrations of students at risk of educational disadvantage. Though DEIS, my Department provides over €180 million in additional resources to almost 1,200 primary and post-primary schools, reaching approximately 260,000 students. I am also aware that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. My Dep…

Under the DEIS programme, 306 primary schools with the highest concentration of children at risk of educational disadvantage are included in DEIS urban band 1. These schools receive the highest level of staffing and funding available under the DEIS programme. The Department recently introduced two additional measures to support children in schools at very high levels of disadvantage. Strand 1 of the counselling and primary schools pilot was extended to 61 urban DEIS primary schools in Tallaght, Clondalkin, Ballymun…