Paul Lawless

1225. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of primary and post-primary teachers who engaged in Department-funded continuous professional development in each of the past five years; the breakdown of those figures, by primary and post-primary level, continuous professional development undertaken within the additional in-school hours provided for under public service agreements and continuous professional development undertaken outside of those hours; the percentage of the total teaching workforce this represents in each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1680/26]

1226. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of teachers, in each of the past five years, who have undertaken continuous professional development specifically related to supporting pupils with additional and special educational needs, including autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyspraxia and dyslexia; the breakdown by category of need, by primary and post-primary level, and by hours of training provided; whether she is satisfied that this level of training is adequate given the prevalence of these needs in Irish classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1681/26]

1227. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the assessments that have been carried out by her Department of teachers' capacity to engage in continuous professional development during the school year; whether any analysis has been conducted on barriers to participation, including substitution cover, timetable pressures and workload; whether any reports arising from such assessments will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1682/26]

1228. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of hours of the additional in-school time provided for under public service agreements were used nationally for continuous professional development in each of the past three school years; the proportion of this time that was allocated to training in special educational needs, student wellbeing and behavioural or emotional support, and substance-use education and prevention; the guidance her Department issues to schools regarding the prioritisation of continuous professional development topics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1683/26]

1229. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the continuous professional development currently provided to support teachers in managing increasingly complex classrooms, including cultural and linguistic diversity, mixed-ability teaching, trauma-informed practice and behavioural support; the number of teachers who have participated in such training in each of the past three years; whether she considers current provision sufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1684/26]

1230. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has conducted a national survey, audit or questionnaire of schools and principals to assess teachers' professional development needs, capacity to access continuous professional development and priority training areas; if not, whether she will commit to establishing a formal needs-assessment process; the proposed timeframe for the development and implementation of such a questionnaire; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1685/26]

1231. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the mechanisms in place to measure the effectiveness and outcomes of Department-funded continuous professional development; whether data is collected on the impact of such training on classroom practice and student outcomes, particularly for pupils with additional and special educational needs; the details of any evaluations carried out in the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1686/26]

1232. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has set participation targets or benchmarks for teacher engagement in continuous professional development; if so, to outline those targets; if not, whether she will commit to establishing national benchmarks, particularly in the areas of special educational needs, behavioural support and wellbeing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1687/26]

1354. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for a timeline on the introduction of the "above the shop" vacant grant proposed; the criteria to qualify; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73904/25]

1355. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the timeline for the introduction of the enhanced “Above the Shop” Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73906/25]

1356. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the eligibility criteria that will apply to the enhanced “Above the Shop” grant, including vacancy period, construction date, and any additional requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73907/25]

1357. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if multi-unit conversions above commercial premises will qualify for the full €140,000 grant package; the number of units which must be included to avail of this amount; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73908/25]

1358. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a single-unit conversion above a shop will remain eligible only for the standard €50,000 grant plus €20,000 top-up for dereliction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73909/25]

1359. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if there are plans to amend the current rules requiring properties to be used as a principal private residence or for one rental unit in the context of multi-unit conversions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [73910/25]

1550. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated net loss of income faced by a single adult on disability allowance living alone in 2026 compared with 2025, arising from the discontinuation of once-off supports such as the €400 disability payment, €300 fuel lump sum, €300 living-alone lump sum, €200 electricity credits and double-week bonuses; the rationale for removing these supports without providing equivalent replacement measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75000/25]

1551. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection to publish any disability-specific poverty or social exclusion modelling carried out by his Department in advance of Budget 2026, and to outline what modelling, if any, informed the decision to withdraw once-off supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75003/25]

1552. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the fiscal rationale for removing once-off supports for disabled people, given the continuing cost-of-living pressures and the absence of the cost of disability payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75009/25]

1563. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection his plans to provide a dedicated telephone number or email address for a section (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1170/26]

1566. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the carer’s benefit payment structure in cases where a full-time carer is providing intensive care to two dependants with equal and significant needs, given that such carers receive only one-and-a-half times the rate despite carrying out full-time care for both; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1382/26]

1567. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the rules governing carer’s allowance and carer’s benefit in cases where a full-time carer is providing care to three dependants, given that the current system provides no additional payment for the third person despite the significant extra workload involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1383/26]

1629. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of deportation orders that have been issued to date in the State, in tabular form, for each of the past 10 years. [74117/25]

1630. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the total cost of deportations to the State, in tabular form, for each of the past 10 years. [74118/25]

1631. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the steps taken after a deportation order is issued whereby the individual does not self deport. [74119/25]

1632. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he is aware of the location of all individuals in the State who have been issued with a deportation order and have not left the State. [74120/25]

1637. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if the €2.1 million allocated in Budget 2026 for electronic monitoring relates solely to the 12-month pilot phase; and if so, the estimated annual cost of maintaining the system once fully operational. [74279/25]