327. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the main policy achievements of her Department since 22 January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50799/26]

I refer the Deputy to my response to PQ 30475/26 provided on 28 April 2026 which provided information on the significant achievements of my Department between January 2025 and 28 April 2026. Since that date, the following additional policy achievements of my Department are of note.

Special Education

On 12 June, I announced a new Transition Support Service for all special schools commencing in September 2026. This new service, costing €1.3m per year, will provide an additional 34 teaching days to special schools and will support young people with disabilities as they prepare to move from school into further education, training, employment and other post-school opportunities.

On 3 June, the first Special Needs Workforce Development Plan was published, providing a strategic roadmap to strengthen, professionalise and support the SNA workforce through enhanced training, role clarity and workforce sustainability.

Summer Meals Programme for Young People

On 25 May, I announced the expansion of the Summer Holiday Meals Pilot Programme for 2026. The programme, first introduced in 2025, will receive increased funding of €600,000 in 2026, up from €500,000 last year. This additional investment will enable the programme to expand from 41 to 77 Your Place Your Space (UBU) – funded youth services, operating across all 16 education and training boards (ETBs).

The 2026 programme began in June and will provide hot or substantial meals to young people aged 10 to 18 attending participating UBU youth services throughout the summer months.

Convention on Education

The second of the four scheduled meetings of the Convention on Education took place in Limerick in May. The Convention will examine key issues across early years, primary, post-primary and educational transitions. Its recommendations will inform the Department’s long-term education strategy, “Our Schools, Our Future”.

Guidance

On 20 May, my Department published the Standards and Qualifications in Guidance Counsellor Education and Training (SQGCET) which presents an important development within the guidance counselling profession in Ireland. The document outlines nationally agreed standards, competencies and qualification requirements for guidance counsellors working across guidance services under the remit of my Department and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Primary School Survey

On 23 June, my Department published the results of the Primary School Survey, providing the most comprehensive insight to date into parents' and guardians' views on the future of primary education, including school patronage, ethos, co-educational or single-sex provision and language of instruction (Irish or English). School-specific results have been shared with primary schools to support local consultation and engagement with school communities. Schools wishing to be included in the first group of schools that wish to act on the outcomes of the survey process have been asked to notify my Department and their patron by 31 October 2026.

DEIS Strategy to 2035

On 11 May, my Department launched the first long-term, whole-system strategy to tackle educational disadvantage, introducing a more flexible and responsive model of support for schools based on changing levels of need. The strategy is supported by the first three-year implementation plan (2026–2028) and includes enhanced DEIS grants, expanded HSCL provision and improved resource allocation across all schools.

Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union

The Education and Youth priorities for the EU Presidency were adopted by Government as part of the Irish EU Presidency Programme in June. The first official-level meeting of the Education Presidency programme, the High Level Group on Education and Training was held successfully on 25 and 26 June and it addressed the priorities of digital and AI in education, inclusion and retention in education and the role of education in the EU Semester process.

Digital

I was pleased to announce the establishment of a special taskforce to advise on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools. The AI in Schools External Advisory Taskforce will support the Department in developing a coherent national approach to the safe, responsible and effective use of AI across the school system. The Taskforce held its first meeting in May 2026. The associated Working Groups are currently being established with the first meetings scheduled to take place in July.