Special Educational Needs
Dail Éireann — 2026-06-11
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Timmy Dooley (FF), Clare

I thank Deputy O'Reilly very much for her series of questions. I know her interest in this area and she has been a strong advocate, not just for specific schools in her area but also for the educational needs of children.
The Government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the programme for Government makes several commitments to deliver on this objective. The summer programme is a vital and targeted intervention that is specifically designed for children with complex special educational needs or those at risk of educational disadvantage. While it is delivered during the summer months, it is an educational programme and should not be viewed as a replacement for recreational summer camps. Since 2021, the Department of Education and Youth's inspectorate has evaluated the programme annually. Its findings consistently highlight the programme's positive impact on the many children and young people who have taken part, with parents, staff and the children themselves reporting improvements in confidence, attitude and readiness to return to school in September.
Deputy O'Reilly has asked a series of questions. I do not have all of the answers but I will ask the Department to communicate directly with her and the school on the specifics and I will speak on the general point.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-06-11/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-09-14T01:01:05+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-06-11