Budget 2026 - Primary Education - Key Features & Trina's Thoughts

Budget 2026 was announced on Tuesday, 7th October 2025. I've shared the key features and my thoughts below.

Capitation/Funding

Key Features:

• €50 capitation increase per pupil.

• This is a permanent increase.

• No “Cost of Living” grant this year, meaning an effective increase of €14 per child compared to last year.

• Additional increases for DEIS 1 schools and special schools.

Trina’s Thoughts:
It falls short of the €75 increase that the INTO and management bodies campaigned for. The permanence is positive and will somewhat narrow the gap for schools, but it’s still not enough to close the shortfall in basic funding. A step in the right direction — but a small one.

Special Education

Key Features:

• 860 additional special education teachers (including SETs and special class/school teachers).

• 1,717 additional SNA posts.

• 3,000 new special class and special school places were announced at the press conference.

• €19 million allocated for the rollout of an Education Therapy Service, beginning in special schools, with expansion depending on outcomes.

Trina’s Thoughts:
The new classes and special schools are very welcome and sorely needed. However, they will absorb around 500–650 of those teachers, leaving only 200–300 extra SETs for mainstream schools - roughly one per 13–15 schools. Given the NCSE’s emphasis that scheduled regulation breaks and other supports fall under SET responsibilities, it’s hard to see how this is feasible without a major increase in SET allocation.

The Relate document cannot be meaningfully implemented without significant SET resourcing, and this budget doesn’t deliver that.

On the positive side, about 700 SNAs will go into mainstream, a welcome increase. How they’re allocated, especially in light of the new SNA review guidelines, will be key.

In-school therapy services are an excellent idea if the therapists can be found without pulling them from already overstretched CDNTs and primary care teams. That remains to be seen.

DEIS

Key Features:

• €48 million in funding for a new DEIS Plus scheme.

• An updated DEIS Plan to be published later in 2025.

Trina’s Thoughts:
A positive move,  though how positive will depend entirely on the new plan and how supports are distributed.

School Transport

Key Features:

• €69 million extra allocated to school transport to meet demand and rising costs.

• Planned investment in technology ( e-ticketing) to improve efficiency.

Trina’s Thoughts:
Of course, it’s welcome, but it’s nearly double the increase for capitation. Let’s hope it’s money well spent.

Buildings / Capital Projects

Key Features:

• Around 300 schools are currently under construction, with 80 more due to move to construction in 2026/2027.

• Focus on building capacity for special classes.

• Climate Action Summer Works Scheme included.

• Solar panel installation programme to continue.

Trina’s Thoughts:
Sounds positive and hopefully gets us a step closer to a new building!

Leadership & Curricular Reform

Key Features:

• €3 million for additional deputy principal posts at primary and post-primary in 2026/2027.

• €19 million on curricular reform, largely for staff training.

• A Convention on Education planned for next year.

Trina’s Thoughts:
It’s unclear what “additional deputy principal posts” means at primary level. No mention of AP posts or protected leadership release time, which is hugely disappointing.

Other Notes

• The Minister referenced the one-year permanency rule (announced last year) and confirmed it’s coming soon.

• INTO has said they expect the circular is imminent.

Overall Trina’s Thoughts

An underwhelming, though not unexpected, budget.

The absence of any class size reduction is hugely disappointing. Ireland continues to have the largest class sizes in the EU, and the Programme for Government pledged a reduction to 19:1 by the end of its term. This budget shows no commitment to that goal. The lack of media attention to this issue highlights the disconnect between the realities in classrooms and the public.

The capitation increase is genuinely welcome, but still leaves schools far from being fully funded. Our ongoing dependence on parents, fundraising, and volunteerism to keep schools afloat is disheartening, especially in a wealthy country.

There are encouraging sprouts — but overall, it’s a disappointing budget for education.