In January this year, my Department published a comprehensive national development plan implementation plan for the education and youth sector. That included 105 school building projects to proceed to construction and tender in 2026 and 2027. That list included 80 large-scale and additional school accommodation projects along with 25 modular projects. The number of modular projects has now increased to 31. The first tranche of projects was selected with a view to facilitating projects already at stage 3, that is, a…

There is ongoing engagement between the Department and schools and school patrons. That is happening all the time. The list of 105 projects includes 12 projects in County Cork, of which five are in Cork North-Central. One of these schools, Scoil Íosagáin, moved into stage 4, which is construction, in February. Additionally, there are 35 schools, including eight in Cork North-Central, that were approved to undergo works as part of the climate action summer work scheme. These projects are in addition to the €785 mill…

In the past we might have thought of as modular as prefabs but these are not prefabs. These are state-of-the-art, very modern buildings. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and I have walked into many of them. You do not realise they are modular. They just look like an extension to a school. The spec is of a high quality. The Department is working with schools and engaging with school stakeholders. That prioritisation process is ongoing. Work is under way in the thousands of schools across the country that are …

I am very aware of this issue. I recently met Scoil Mhuire Naofa and the local representatives, including the Deputy, on the matter. A campus project was delivered for three schools - Carrigtwohill Community College, Scoil Mhuire Naofa Carrigtwohill, and Scoil Clíodhna Community National School - as part of my Department's design and build programme. The project was completed in quarter 4 of 2023. The schools on the campus have sought to use a green area, which forms part of the site for recreation purposes. The ar…

A scope of works and associated costs for the green space have been received by my Department for the proposed works to provide access to that green area. On initial review, it is the Department's recommendation that a cost-effective solution be considered and resubmitted for further consideration. Once the scope works and the cost to provide the access and entrance are agreed, procurement of a contractor to complete the works can be undertaken. Until the scope works are agreed, it is just not possible to give a ti…

I thank the Deputy. The original planning permission for the campus development at Carrigtwohill included the green area lands to the south of the school building infrastructure, so the green area was always included in the development as a flood attenuation zone, which forms part of the campus flood mitigation strategy. The campus development was delivered according to the schedule of accommodation, which provided three general purpose areas, a PE hall in the post-primary school and a total of 13 ball courts acros…

As part of budget 2026, the Government confirmed that examination entry fees will be reintroduced for the 2026 State exams. These fees are being restored at their previous levels, which are unchanged since 2012. It is €116 for leaving certificate candidates and €109 for junior cycle candidates. Not all families are liable to pay examination fees. Any student with a full medical card, or covered under a parent's or guardian's card, will continue to be fully exempt from that fee. This approach strikes a fair balance,…

A recent review of the school transport scheme found that having a fee helps to make better use of resources and prevents seats on school buses from going unused. The fee for a primary school student is 55 cent per week and it is 60 cent for a post-primary school pupil, or €1.32 per week for a family. The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, and I are also acutely aware of the school transport system and getting better data about usage of school buses across the country. We are working with the Department of Transpo…

We have introduced a number of cost alleviations for schools and parents. The free school books is one example of that. We are providing solar panels for schools as well to reduce their energy costs. There has been a hugely positive uptake from schools across the country in relation to that. The school transport system costs 55 cent per day for primary school pupils and 60 cent for post-primary students. When we compare that to public transport costs there is a big reduction in the cost. We give guidance to schools…

I welcome this evening’s debate. It is important that we continue to shine a light on the area of special education to ensure that our children and young people with additional needs are supported in school to help them achieve their full potential. I appreciate and accept that some families and young people believe the system is not doing enough for them, but supporting young people with special educational needs is a priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth, and for my colleagues across government. Our…

I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. Supporting youth work is a critical aspect of what we do as a Government to support our young people. I thank both Deputies for the opportunity to set out the position with regard to youth work provision and funding provided to Youth Work Ireland from my Department. Youth work services deliver high-quality youth work and non-formal developmental opportunities to young people aged between ten and 24 across Ireland every year. Approximately 450,000 young people participate…

I thank the Deputies for raising those issues. Youth workers are employed directly by individual youth organisations. They are not public servants. Their terms and conditions, including pay, are set by those organisations. My Department provides grant funding for the provision of youth services to the organisations in question to meet the needs of young people. It does not directly employ youth workers or set the terms and conditions of employment. My Department is aware that pension provisions across the sector ar…

I thank Senators for the opportunity to be here in the Seanad today to talk about youth work and the Government's ongoing commitment and investment in this important sector. Youth services are a safe place where young people, with the support of youth workers, are able to reach their full potential and positively shape their own lives and futures. This Government and my Department are committed to supporting youth work services, youth organisations and volunteer-led youth clubs to ensure that there are high-quality…

At no point over the past week did any member of Sinn Féin speak about the impact the blockades had on ordinary people - sick people trying to get to hospital appointments, workers trying to get to work, families visiting relatives or business owners losing customers. Instead, they spoke about how the Government was not doing enough. Not once did they criticise the blockades which caused such misery to people across this country. Their response today is to table a no confidence motion in a Government working hard e…

I thank the Senator and welcome the opportunity to discuss the teacher relocation proposal. Any initiative that seeks to ensure that the educational needs of children are prioritised is to be welcomed. The recruitment and appointment of teachers for teaching positions is managed by individual school authorities. There are over 3,700 individual school authorities responsible for this process, including boards of management at primary and post-primary levels as well as the education and training boards, ETBs. There a…

A national relocation scheme for teachers is a proposal worth pursuing, but it requires careful consideration as it is a significant undertaking. There needs to be further collaborative work on this due to the complex nature of the education sector, with the many factors outlined in the Department's correspondence to be considered. The Department has not received an updated proposal in line with the response issued to the TUI in April 2024 and no proposal is currently being considered. It is essential that there is…

I move: THAT, notwithstanding anything in the Order of the Dáil of 5th February, 2025, setting out the rota in which Questions to members of the Government are to be asked, Questions for oral answer following those set down to the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, shall be set down to Ministers in the following temporary sequence: Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Minister for Defence Minister for Education and Youth whereupon the sequence esta…

I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to inform and update the Seanad on the special needs assistant role in our schools and the important work my Department has progressed in this area. I welcome the opportunity to listen to the views of Senators here today. I understand people were angry and frustrated at what they perceived as the removal of essential supports from students. That is why I want to assure this House that no cuts are proposed, or will be proposed, to the provision of SNA support t…

It is not all that.

Over the course of a two-hour debate last night, I listened carefully to what colleagues had to say about the vital role played by special needs assistants, SNAs, in the lives of children and young people with special educational needs. Today, protests involving parents, teachers, SNAs and members of school communities will take place across the country. I know that people are angry and frustrated at what is being portrayed as the removal of essential supports for young people. That is why I want to restate this Go…