Questions

451. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s procedures for ensuring that all primary and post-primary schools provide a clear opt-out process for parents who do not consent to elements of the Bí Cineálta policy or associated materials; and the direction issued to schools on the administrative arrangements for accommodating such pupils. [66186/25]

452. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the statutory basis on which her Department requires schools to implement the Bí Cineálta anti-bullying policy on a whole-school basis; and her Department’s assessment of whether such implementation is compatible with parental rights under the Education Act and the Constitution. [66187/25]

453. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures by which her Department has assessed the Bí Cineálta policy against recent safeguarding evidence reviews, including the Cass Review and the HSS report; and the steps being taken to ensure full compliance with national child-protection obligations in all schools. [66188/25]

454. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific guidance issued by her Department to schools regarding the treatment of pupils whose parents do not consent to elements of anti-bullying policies or SPHE-related content; and her Department’s instructions on ensuring equal access to the curriculum for such pupils. [66189/25]

455. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list all external organisations whose materials or programmes are included in, endorsed by, or linked to the Bí Cineálta policy; the vetting process undertaken by the Department before including such organisations; and the criteria used to evaluate the safeguarding suitability of associated materials. [66190/25]

456. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the training provided by her Department and Oide to school leaders and staff on the implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy; the extent to which this training addresses safeguarding concerns raised in recent evidence reviews; and the means by which schools are instructed to handle parental opt-out requests. [66191/25]

457. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s monitoring arrangements for ensuring compliance with statutory safeguarding obligations during the implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy; and the number of compliance checks undertaken in 2024 and 2025. [66192/25]

458. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements schools are required to put in place during Anti-Bullying Week for pupils whose parents do not consent to participation in activities or materials associated with the Bí Cineálta policy; and her Department’s guidance on how schools should plan and record such arrangements. [66193/25]

459. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether an equality-impact assessment has been carried out on her Department’s implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy; and whether safeguards are in place to ensure that children whose parents do not consent to specific elements are not disadvantaged or labelled inappropriately. [66194/25]

460. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the means by which her Department has ensured that the implementation of the Bí Cineálta policy respects parental rights under Articles 41 and 42 of the Constitution; and whether her Department has issued guidance to schools on avoiding conflicts between parental rights and Department-mandated programmes. [66195/25]

461. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department intends to review the Bí Cineálta policy in light of recent clinical and safeguarding evidence; the timeline for such a review; and whether stakeholder consultations with parents will form part of that process. [66196/25]

462. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to set out the guidance issued to Boards of Management regarding handling parental objections to the Bí Cineálta policy; and her Department’s instructions to boards on decision-making where there is a conflict between Department policy and parental consent. [66197/25]

463. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way her Department has assessed the impact of recent directives, including Bí Cineálta, on the operational autonomy of schools and Boards of Management; and her Department’s position on ensuring that schools retain the ability to address local safeguarding concerns. [66198/25]

464. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66219/25]

465. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown of the results of exceptional reviews and SNA SENO reviews, in primary and post-primary and special schools, in the past year; the number and percentage of these reviews that led to an increase in SNA allocations; the number of additional SNAs employed as a result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66224/25]

466. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date the next tranche of projects to receive funding under the annual climate action summer works scheme 2026 will be announced. [66289/25]

467. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will reconsider a school’s (details supplied) application under the annual climate action summer works scheme 2026, given the urgent nature of the works and the critical road safety concerns that exist if the works are not carried out promptly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66290/25]

468. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the Department’s annual expenditure on State Claims Agency costs for the years 2020–2025. [66349/25]

469. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Culture; Communications and Sport his assessment of the current distribution of film-industry infrastructure and funding across the State; if he will consider targeted supports or new initiatives to promote film-industry growth and infrastructure at regional level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65209/25]

470. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the eligibility of schools to apply for the upcoming sports capital scheme, in collaboration with a local sports club; and the details of the criteria involved. [65212/25]

471. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the reason for the delay with broadband installation to a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65251/25]

472. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if formal approval has been given for the purchase of maintenance equipment (details supplied). [65254/25]

473. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department has assessed the prevalence of sexual harassment, bullying and verbal abuse experienced by girls in community sports settings; the safeguarding measures in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65294/25]

474. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide an update on the planned football academies for which funding was announced in Budget 2026. [65346/25]

475. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his plans to make the basic income for the arts (BIA) pilot scheme permanent (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65384/25]