Questions

954. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education her Department’s plans to engage with parents in Ardmore and surrounding areas whose children attend secondary schools in Dungarvan regarding additional capacity on the route in the form of a second school bus; if she is aware that the lack of capacity on the existing school bus means many parents are paying significant amounts weekly for a private bus …

955. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she will confirm that she has been written to on seven occasions since April 2021 by a family (details supplied) regarding allegations of historical child abuse and sexual harassment and a failure of school management to deal with these issues; the reason the family never got a response beyond an acknowledgements of the receipt of these letters, despite …

956. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a breakdown, by Department or office, of the percentage of employees who have disclosed a disability for the past ten years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20013/25]

957. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Education for an update on an application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20026/25]

958. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently review the staffing allocation for the 2025/2026 school year at a school (details supplied), where the loss of a mainstream teacher will result in a merged 3rd and 4th class of 39 pupils, well above her Department’s average class ratio size of 23:1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20041/25]

959. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 653 of 19 March 2025, if an update on a SENO review could be provided to parents (details supplied). [20043/25]

960. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education the gender breakdown of primary school teachers full and part-time for the years 2020-2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20067/25]

961. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education for an update on the Louth and Meath ETB headquarters development for Drogheda; the reasons for the delay in a project that was agreed 12 years ago by Government; when contractors will be on site; when the project will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20078/25]

962. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will examine the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20094/25]

963. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education for a timeframe on the State Examinations Commission review of allocated extra time for children with dyslexia; who is part of the review; when public consultation will begin; if a draft policy will be issued before final review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20114/25]

964. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she will commit to a review of the reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations scheme and to increasing the threshold for the use of ICT for children with dyslexia in State exams, [20115/25]

965. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education the reason her Department has not implemented the use of extra allocated time for children with dyslexia as set out in the State Examinations Commission review of 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20116/25]

966. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she will commit to a review of the Céim standards within the Teaching Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20117/25]

967. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education if reviews are taking place in third level special education teaching courses; if so, to minister provide these reviews; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20118/25]

968. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education the process by which a school can apply to be recategorised from DEIS Urban Band 2 to DEIS Urban Band 1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20138/25]

969. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of WTE charted surveyors employed by her Department in 2023, 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form. [20149/25]

970. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if an assessment of need can be requested by a school as a requirement for a school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20172/25]

971. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education when the final decision was made to change this year's Leaving Certificate's grade inflation to 5.5%; the way this decision was communicated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20173/25]

972. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Education the reason for the reduction of the funding allocated for the schoolbooks scheme, when in 2023 it was estimated that €96 per child was necessary to help schools to ensure the new curriculum could be implemented with the right teaching and learning aids; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20184/25]

973. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education if she is considering changes to the distance requirement eligibility criteria for her School Transport Scheme and the possible abolition of the closest school rule for the 2025/2026 school year; if so, when it is envisaged that these changes will be communicated and implemented to allow sufficient time for preparation in advance of the new school year; and i…

974. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently issue advice to schools on how the Leaving Certificate grade inflation will be addressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20228/25]

975. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Education when urgent emergency works will be carried out for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20229/25]

976. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education to examine an appeal for the retention of a mainstream teacher in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20243/25]

977. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education the number of refunds sought from parents availing of the school transport scheme in Limerick in 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [20248/25]

978. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Education regarding schools that had been approved for additional SNA posts in their school and have since been told not to advertise the post as “the Department is approaching a cap on SNA’s nationally”; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20261/25]