Dáil vote · 21 October 2025

Education (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members]

Amendment put

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What this vote means

Bill — Second Stage · Amendment

This is a vote on an amendment. Tá and Níl refer to that amendment, rather than the whole Bill or motion. Check whether it proposes adding, removing or replacing words.

Decides whether the Bill proceeds beyond debate on its general principles.

This vote concerns a proposed law. A vote on one stage or provision does not itself make the Bill law; enactment requires completion of the legislative process and the President's signature.

The exact wording is not supplied in this division record. Check the official debate.

Tá means yes and Níl means no to the exact question put. The vote alone does not establish a TD's full position or reasons.

DáilDex interpretation of the official wording.

Oireachtas definitions

The result

Carried

Tá (yes): 80
Níl (no): 65
Staon (abstain): 0

Tellers: Tá, Deputies Mary Butler and Emer Currie; Níl, Deputies Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Denise Mitchell.

Official record Read the debate

How each party voted

Party	Tá	Níl	Staon	No vote	Most voted
Fianna Fáil	42	–	–	6	Tá
Sinn Féin	–	34	–	5	Níl
Fine Gael	32	–	–	6	Tá
Independent	6	4	–	5	No whip
Labour Party	–	9	–	2	Níl
Social Democrats	–	10	–	1	Níl
Independent Ireland	–	3	–	1	Níl
People Before Profit-Solidarity	–	1	–	2

How every TD voted

Showing 173 of 173 TDs

Aengus Ó SnodaighSinn Féin · Dublin South-Central
Níl
Aidan FarrellySocial Democrats · Kildare North
Níl
Aindrias MoynihanFianna Fáil · Cork North-West
Tá
Aisling DempseyFianna Fáil · Meath West
Tá
Alan DillonFine Gael · Mayo
Tá
Alan KellyLabour Party · Tipperary North
Níl
Albert DolanFianna Fáil · Galway East
Tá
Ann GravesSinn Féin · Dublin Fingal East
Níl
Barry HeneghanIndependent · Dublin Bay North
Tá
Barry WardFine Gael · Dún Laoghaire
No vote
Brendan SmithFianna Fáil · Cavan-Monaghan
Tá
Brian BrennanFine Gael · Wicklow-Wexford
Tá
Brian StanleyIndependent · Laois
Níl
Carol NolanIndependent · Offaly
Níl
Cathal CroweFianna Fáil · Clare
Tá
Catherine ArdaghFianna Fáil · Dublin South-Central
Tá
Catherine CallaghanFine Gael · Carlow-Kilkenny
Tá
Cathy BennettSinn Féin · Cavan-Monaghan
Níl
Charles Ward100% RDR · Donegal
Níl
Charlie McConalogueFianna Fáil · Donegal
Tá
Christopher O'SullivanFianna Fáil · Cork South-West
No vote
Cian O'CallaghanSocial Democrats · Dublin Bay North
Níl
Ciarán AhernLabour Party · Dublin South-West
Níl
Claire KerraneSinn Féin · Roscommon-Galway
Níl
Colm BrophyFine Gael · Dublin South-West
No vote
Colm BurkeFine Gael · Cork North-Central
Tá
Conor D. McGuinnessSinn Féin · Waterford
Níl
Conor SheehanLabour Party · Limerick City
Níl
Cormac DevlinFianna Fáil · Dún Laoghaire
Tá
Danny Healy-RaeIndependent · Kerry
Tá
Dara CallearyFianna Fáil · Mayo
Tá
Darragh O'BrienFianna Fáil · Dublin Fingal East
Tá
Darren O'RourkeSinn Féin · Meath East
No vote
David CullinaneSinn Féin · Waterford
Níl
David MaxwellFine Gael · Cavan-Monaghan
Tá
Denise MitchellSinn Féin · Dublin Bay North
Níl
Dessie EllisSinn Féin · Dublin North-West
No vote
Donna McGettiganSinn Féin · Clare
Níl
Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireSinn Féin · Cork South-Central
Níl
Duncan SmithLabour Party · Dublin Fingal East
No vote
Eamon ScanlonFianna Fáil · Sligo-Leitrim
Tá
Edward TimminsFine Gael · Wicklow
Tá
Emer CurrieFine Gael · Dublin West
Tá
Emer HigginsFine Gael · Dublin Mid-West
Tá
Eoghan KennyLabour Party · Cork North-Central
Níl
Eoin HayesSocial Democrats · Dublin Bay South
Níl
Eoin Ó BroinSinn Féin · Dublin Mid-West
No vote
Erin McGreehanFianna Fáil · Louth
Tá
Fionntán Ó SúilleabháinSinn Féin · Wicklow-Wexford
Níl
Frankie FeighanFine Gael · Sligo-Leitrim
Tá
Gary GannonSocial Democrats · Dublin Central
Níl
Ged NashLabour Party · Louth
Níl
George LawlorLabour Party · Wexford
Níl
Gillian TooleIndependent · Meath East
Tá
Grace BolandFine Gael · Dublin Fingal West
Tá
Helen McEnteeFine Gael · Meath East
No vote
Hildegarde NaughtonFine Gael · Galway West
Tá
Holly CairnsSocial Democrats · Cork South-West
No vote
Ivana BacikLabour Party · Dublin Bay South
Níl
Jack ChambersFianna Fáil · Dublin West
Tá
James BrowneFianna Fáil · Wexford
Tá
James GeogheganFine Gael · Dublin Bay South
Tá
James LawlessFianna Fáil · Kildare North
Tá
James O'ConnorFianna Fáil · Cork East
Tá
Jen CumminsSocial Democrats · Dublin South-Central
Níl
Jennifer Carroll MacNeillFine Gael · Dún Laoghaire
Tá
Jennifer Murnane O'ConnorFianna Fáil · Carlow-Kilkenny
Tá
Jennifer WhitmoreSocial Democrats · Wicklow
Níl
Jerry ButtimerFine Gael · Cork South-Central
Tá
Jim O'CallaghanFianna Fáil · Dublin Bay South
Tá
Joanna ByrneSinn Féin · Louth
Níl
Joe CooneyFine Gael · Clare
Tá
Joe NevilleFine Gael · Kildare North
No vote
John BradySinn Féin · Wicklow
Níl
John ClendennenFine Gael · Offaly
Tá
John ConnollyFianna Fáil · Galway West
Tá
John CumminsFine Gael · Waterford
Tá
John LahartFianna Fáil · Dublin South-West
Tá
John McGuinnessFianna Fáil · Carlow-Kilkenny
No vote
John Paul O'SheaFine Gael · Cork North-West
Tá
Johnny GuirkeSinn Féin · Meath West
Níl
Johnny MythenSinn Féin · Wexford
Níl
Keira KeoghFine Gael · Mayo
Tá
Ken O'FlynnIndependent Ireland · Cork North-Central
No vote
Kevin Boxer MoranIndependent · Longford-Westmeath
Tá
Kieran O'DonnellFine Gael · Limerick City
Tá
Liam QuaideSocial Democrats · Cork East
Níl
Louis O'HaraSinn Féin · Galway East
Níl
Louise O'ReillySinn Féin · Dublin Fingal West
Níl
Maeve O'ConnellFine Gael · Dublin Rathdown
No vote
Máire DevineSinn Féin · Dublin South-Central
No vote
Mairéad FarrellSinn Féin · Galway West
Níl
Malcolm ByrneFianna Fáil · Wicklow-Wexford
Tá
Marian HarkinIndependent · Sligo-Leitrim
No vote
Marie SherlockLabour Party · Dublin Central
No vote
Mark WallLabour Party · Kildare South
Níl
Mark WardSinn Féin · Dublin Mid-West
No vote
Martin DalyFianna Fáil · Roscommon-Galway
Tá
Martin HeydonFine Gael · Kildare South
Tá
Martin KennySinn Féin · Sligo-Leitrim
Níl
Mary ButlerFianna Fáil · Waterford
Tá
Mary Lou McDonaldSinn Féin · Dublin Central
Níl
Matt CarthySinn Féin · Cavan-Monaghan
Níl
Mattie McGrathIndependent · Tipperary South
No vote
Maurice QuinlivanSinn Féin · Limerick City
Níl
Michael CahillFianna Fáil · Kerry
Tá
Michael CollinsIndependent Ireland · Cork South-West
Níl
Michael FitzmauriceIndependent Ireland · Roscommon-Galway
Níl
Michael Healy-RaeIndependent · Kerry
No vote
Michael LowryIndependent · Tipperary North
Tá
Michael MoynihanFianna Fáil · Cork North-West
Tá
Michael MurphyFine Gael · Tipperary South
No vote
Micheál CarrigyFine Gael · Longford-Westmeath
Tá
Micheál MartinFianna Fáil · Cork South-Central
No vote
Naoise Ó CearúilFianna Fáil · Kildare North
Tá
Naoise Ó MuiríFine Gael · Dublin Bay North
Tá
Natasha Newsome DrennanSinn Féin · Carlow-Kilkenny
Níl
Neale RichmondFine Gael · Dublin Rathdown
Tá
Niall CollinsFianna Fáil · Limerick County
Tá
Niamh SmythFianna Fáil · Cavan-Monaghan
No vote
Noel GrealishIndependent · Galway West
Tá
Noel McCarthyFine Gael · Cork East
Tá
Norma FoleyFianna Fáil · Kerry
Tá
Pa DalySinn Féin · Kerry
Níl
Pádraig Mac LochlainnSinn Féin · Donegal
Níl
Pádraig O'SullivanFianna Fáil · Cork North-Central
Tá
Pádraig RiceSocial Democrats · Cork South-Central
Níl
Paschal DonohoeFine Gael · Dublin Central
Tá
Pat BuckleySinn Féin · Cork East
Níl
Pat the Cope GallagherFianna Fáil · Donegal
Tá
Patrick O'DonovanFine Gael · Limerick County
Tá
Paul DonnellySinn Féin · Dublin West
Níl
Paul LawlessAontú · Mayo
Níl
Paul McAuliffeFianna Fáil · Dublin North-West
Tá
Paul MurphyPeople Before Profit-Solidarity · Dublin South-West
Níl
Paul Nicholas GogartyIndependent · Dublin Mid-West
Níl
Paula ButterlyFine Gael · Louth
Tá
Peadar TóibínAontú · Meath West
Níl
Pearse DohertySinn Féin · Donegal
Níl
Peter 'Chap' CleereFianna Fáil · Carlow-Kilkenny
Tá
Peter BurkeFine Gael · Longford-Westmeath
Tá
Peter RocheFine Gael · Galway East
Tá
Réada CroninSinn Féin · Kildare North
Níl
Richard Boyd BarrettPeople Before Profit-Solidarity · Dún Laoghaire
No vote
Richard O'DonoghueIndependent Ireland · Limerick County
Níl
Robert O'DonoghueLabour Party · Dublin Fingal West
Níl
Robert TroyFianna Fáil · Longford-Westmeath
No vote
Roderic O'GormanGreen Party · Dublin West
Níl
Rory HearneSocial Democrats · Dublin North-West
Níl
Rose Conway-WalshSinn Féin · Mayo
Níl
Ruairí Ó MurchúSinn Féin · Louth
Níl
Ruth CoppingerPeople Before Profit-Solidarity · Dublin West
No vote
Ryan O'MearaFianna Fáil · Tipperary North
Tá
Seamus HealyIndependent · Tipperary South
Níl
Séamus McGrathFianna Fáil · Cork South-Central
Tá
Seán CanneyIndependent · Galway East
No vote
Seán CroweSinn Féin · Dublin South-West
Níl
Sean FlemingFianna Fáil · Laois
Tá
Seán Ó FearghaílFianna Fáil · Kildare South
Tá
Shane MoynihanFianna Fáil · Dublin Mid-West
Tá
Shay BrennanFianna Fáil · Dublin Rathdown
Tá
Shónagh Ní RaghallaighSinn Féin · Kildare South
Níl
Simon HarrisFine Gael · Wicklow
Tá
Sinéad GibneySocial Democrats · Dublin Rathdown
Níl
Sorca ClarkeSinn Féin · Longford-Westmeath
Níl
Thomas ByrneFianna Fáil · Meath East
No vote
Thomas GouldSinn Féin · Cork North-Central
Níl
Timmy DooleyFianna Fáil · Clare
Tá
Tom BrabazonFianna Fáil · Dublin Bay North
Tá
Tony McCormackFianna Fáil · Offaly
Tá
Verona MurphyIndependent · Wexford
No vote
William AirdFine Gael · Laois
Tá
Willie O'DeaFianna Fáil · Limerick City
Tá

The full text TDs voted on

This vote decided amendment No. 1. It deletes the motion's wording and puts its own text in its place. Tá supported replacing the original text; Níl opposed replacing it. Neither is a vote on the original motion by itself.

A motion can bundle several proposals together. Tá or Níl applies to the whole question put, so a TD may agree with one part and still vote against it because of another. Read the full wording, and the debate where TDs gave their reasons, before treating this vote as a position on any single point.

The motion as movedMoved by Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú on Thursday, 16 October 2025

"That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

Amendment No. 1Decided in this voteMoved by Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth

To delete all words after "That" and substitute with the following:
"Dáil Éireann declines to give the Education (Amendment) Bill 2024 a second reading consequent on Dáil Éireann's passage of the following motion on 16th October, 2025:
notes that:
— a child's right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and, under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, must be accessible on an equal basis with others in the community in which they live; and
— the Government is committed to ensuring that each child with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their Constitutional right and Programme for Government commitments;
notes that the Government will:
— progress work on the development of a more inclusive education system for children with special education needs by supporting them to attend their local school;
— continue to expand the number of special school places, special classes and special education teaching hours as required across the state;
— improve communication and outreach to parents of children with special educational needs to streamline the process by which parents apply for specialist school places, reducing the burden on them and improving the timelines, including the introduction of a common application procedure;
— continue to increase investment into the area of special education to ensure that every child can reach their full potential;
— ensure that available capacity across schools is maximised to make provision for children with special education needs; and
— prioritise school building projects delivering additional capacity for special classes and at special schools;
further notes:
— the continued significant state investment of €2.9 billion this year for supporting the provision of special education, a 48 per cent increase since 2020;
— the total allocation in Budget 2026 to provide over €3 billion in funding for special education next year, including the provision of up to 3,000 new special class and special school places, over 1,700 new special needs assistants and 860 new special education teachers;
— 97 per cent of all children and young people enrolled in schools, including the majority of children and young people with special educational needs, are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers;
— the strategic initiatives introduced to provide for the continued accelerated delivery of special class places in mainstream schools and special school places with the number of special classes having doubled over the last five years and 16 new special schools being established;
— over 3,700 special classes have been made available across the country for the 2025/26 school year ensuring that children can continue to access a special class in their local area avoiding the need for long distance travel;
— the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) confirm that over 800 vacant places remain in special classes in primary and post-primary schools across the country at the start of this school year 2025/2026;
— Budget 2026 provides funding for teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to support the provision of another 3,000 special class and special school places, this continues the accelerated delivery of special education places to ensure sufficient capacity is provided each year and children and young people have an appropriate place; and
— the commitment to prioritise investment in special education and school places as part of €7.55 billion in National Development Plan capital funding for 2026-2030;
further notes:
— that this proposed legislation dates from 2024 and does not have regard to the progress being made by the Department of Education and Youth and the NCSE in introducing new measures to support forward planning for the 2026/27 school year which brings forward the date of notification and will see the majority of new special classes sanctioned by 31st December, 2025 thereby providing earlier clarity for families;
— the streamlining of funding to ensure schools can access funding for repurposing accommodation;
— the significant investment in the expansion of staffing at the NCSE to assist families of children with special educational needs in all aspects of their educational journey, including accessing a placement appropriate to their needs;
— the significant level of funding and supports being provided to schools to deliver accommodation for special classes including school building projects, the repurposing of available rooms, and the provision of modular accommodation;
— the commitment in the Programme for Government to introduce a nationwide common application system for school admissions, which has the potential to be a game-changer for students and parents;
— the progress which has been made in introducing a common application system, including a new pilot single application for admission to post-primary schools, including admission to post-primary special classes, being rolled out by the Department this year across five areas;
— the enactment of the Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018 which banned historical waiting lists, thus ensuring parents who move to a new area, or parents who rent, are not disadvantaged;
— that this legislation could have a significant and negative impact on a number of groups, and that this has not been properly considered;
— the impact that this proposed legislation may have on families of children and young people with special educational needs moving into an area within two years of seeking a school place, in particular families that are renting;
— the impact that this proposed legislation may have on families of children and young people with special educational needs who receive a diagnosis and professional recommendation within two years of seeking a school place, in particular young children entering primary school;
— the lack of a definition of special educational needs in the proposed legislation and the uncertainty if the legislation applies to all of the estimated 25 per cent of students with a special educational need who may be seeking a mainstream, special class or special schools;
— while the proposed legislation allows for children and young people with special educational needs to apply for admission up to two years in advance, it is silent in terms of the actual timelines for schools making decision on admission and therefore it is not clear that the legislation will achieve its aim of providing earlier clarity for parents;
— that significant further work on this proposal would be required, including significant consultation with schools and parents, before such a proposal could be considered again;
— the Government have published a review of the EPSEN Act 2004, which comprised of over 28,000 responses to online surveys, including 900 responses from children and young people to an innovative easy access survey, and participation in focus groups by 91 adults and 94 students and young people from mainstream, special and Irish medium schools, as well as adults who had left school;
— that an implementation plan is being developed and will be published before the end of the year, with changes to existing legislation, policy, and practice under consideration; and
— declines to give the Bill a second stage reading for the reasons stated.".

Wording as published in the official Dáil record, unedited. Read the debate