Ken O'Flynn

549. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if it is permitted for a post-primary school to require parents to purchase a specific laptop model from a single designated supplier as a condition of a student’s participation in classroom learning; and if so, the statutory, circular or policy basis for same. [37796/26]

550. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the mandatory arrangements schools are required to have in place to ensure that students whose families cannot afford a compulsory laptop purchase are not excluded from full participation in teaching, learning and assessment; and if she will outline the minimum standard expected. [37797/26]

551. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the assessment her Department has made of the impact of compulsory laptop purchase schemes on educational equality and disadvantage, including the risk of students being singled out or excluded due to inability to pay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37798/26]

552. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that applications for exceptional needs payments are being refused by the Department of Social Protection in cases where families cannot afford compulsory school laptop costs, on the basis that schools should have funding available; and if she will clarify whether her Department accepts responsibility for ensuring that students have access to mandatory devices required for learning. [37799/26]

553. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the ICT-related funding streams provided to post-primary schools, including digital strategy and technology grants, and to clarify whether such funding may be used to provide devices directly to students who cannot afford compulsory laptop costs. [37800/26]

554. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the oversight and enforcement mechanisms that exist to regulate school policies which impose compulsory laptop purchases on parents, including where parents are directed to a single supplier; and the actions available to the Department where such policies cause financial hardship. [37801/26]

555. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will issue a national direction to all post-primary schools prohibiting compulsory laptop purchase schemes which require parents to buy devices privately as a condition of curriculum access; and if not, the reasons for same. [37802/26]

556. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of complaints, representations or queries received by her department in each of the past five years relating to compulsory laptop or digital device purchase schemes in post-primary schools; and the actions taken by the Department in response. [37803/26]

557. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will confirm whether requiring parents to purchase a laptop in order for a child to fully participate in classroom learning is consistent with the principle of free post-primary education; and if she will outline the steps she will take to ensure no child is excluded from education due to inability to pay. [37804/26]

558. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth in respect of funding provided to post-primary schools under the Digital Strategy for Schools and associated ICT and technology grant schemes, the checks and oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that such funding is being used to support student access to digital learning, including the provision of laptops or devices for students whose families cannot afford same; and if she will clarify whether schools are permitted to state that such funding may only be used for school-based ICT infrastructure and cannot be utilised to support students directly. [37805/26]

562. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if it is appropriate, and in line with Department policy, for a home school liaison officer or any member of staff in a DEIS post-primary school to advise parents to take out a loan from a credit union in order to meet the cost of a compulsory laptop purchase for a student; and if she will outline the guidance, instruction or oversight exists to ensure that families experiencing financial hardship are supported through State mechanisms rather than being directed toward personal debt. [37838/26]

589. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether national building regulations or technical guidance documents prescribe minimum toilet provision ratios for men and women in public buildings including theatres, restaurants and entertainment venues; and if he will provide details of the applicable standards and enforcement mechanisms. [36663/26]

657. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of social welfare claims referred for fraud investigation in each year from 2021 to 2026, in tabular form, including a breakdown by category of suspected fraud where recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36868/26]

658. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any guidance, staff training programme, operational protocol or technical system has been introduced since 2022 to assist departmental staff in identifying forged, AI-generated or digitally manipulated documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36869/26]

659. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has conducted any internal risk assessment, review or analysis regarding the use of artificial intelligence tools in the creation of forged identity, residency, employment, income or supporting documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36870/26]

660. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department uses any external forensic document analysis service, AI-detection software, biometric verification tool or digital authentication system when assessing suspected fraudulent social welfare claims; the annual cost of such systems or services since 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36871/26]

661. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of social welfare claims refused, suspended or terminated in each year from 2021 to 2026 due to concerns regarding forged, falsified or fraudulent documentation, where such information is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36872/26]

662. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department exchanges data or intelligence with An Garda Síochána, the Revenue Commissioners, financial institutions or other State bodies for the purpose of detecting forged or fraudulent documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36873/26]

663. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any increase has been identified in the submission of digitally altered or suspected AI-generated documentation in support of social welfare claims in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36874/26]

664. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department maintains statistics on the number of suspected forged-document cases referred onward to An Garda Síochána for criminal investigation in each year since 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36875/26]

665. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any dedicated unit, team or officer within his Department has responsibility for oversight, monitoring or investigation of forged or AI-generated documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36876/26]

666. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department maintains any internal classification, flag, incident category or reporting mechanism relating specifically to suspected AI-generated, digitally manipulated or synthetically altered documentation submitted in support of social welfare claims; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36880/26]

687. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department or the Schools Procurement Unit has received any complaints, reports, disclosures or allegations relating to gifts, inducements, free goods, promotional items, branded merchandise, service add-ons or other benefits being offered by suppliers to schools during live Hot School Meals tender competitions since 2020; the number of such complaints received, in tabular form by year; the nature of the allegations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37394/26]

688. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether the Schools Procurement Unit has issued any guidance, circular, instruction, advisory notice or compliance communication to schools regarding the prohibition on accepting gifts, inducements or benefits from suppliers participating in Hot School Meals procurement competitions; and if he will provide copies of same. [37395/26]

689. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether any investigation, audit, review, procurement examination or legal assessment has been conducted concerning allegations of gifts or inducements being offered to schools during Hot School Meals procurement processes; the outcome of any such examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37396/26]