Questions

664. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has identified delays or gaps in supports for children with additional needs at key transition points, including early years to primary and to post-primary education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10491/26]

665. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children identified by the HSE as having additional or complex needs in the past five years which were unable to access educational supports, resources, or placements due to the absence of a formal diagnosis; whether her Department records or monitors unmet needs, arising from diagnosis-based eligibility criteria; and if she will make a …

666. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has considered introducing a needs-based model for the allocation of educational supports for children with additional needs, aligned with the functional needs approach used by the HSE; whether any reviews, pilot initiatives, or reform proposals are currently underway in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.…

667. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when he expects approval for the September 2025 agreement between An Post and An Post Group of Unions regarding An Post superannuation schemes to issue; if he can set out the timeline and necessary approval process in respect of same; if he will provide a direct update to each of the relevant trades unions party to the agreement; an…

668. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to prioritise his approval of the 7% increase for An Post pensioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9278/26]

669. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the number of staff directly responsible for cybersecurity, as distinct from IT, within his Department; if a threat analyst, vulnerability manager and a cyber infrastructure engineer are employed; if not in-house, if this work is outsourced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9426/26]

670. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the extent to which his Department examines third party supply chain vulnerability when it comes to cybersecurity. [9444/26]

671. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his view on the need for Ministerial approval to issue in a timely manner with respect to the most recent agreement between unions and An Post on the An Post superannuation scheme; if he has communicated with his colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation on same; if he ha…

672. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 384 of 22 January 2026, if he is aware that the National Museum possesses the original American flag that the Catalpa, the escape ship, flew under; his views on the National Museum exhibiting the flag for the 150th anniversary in April 2026; his views on the National Museum loaning it during the cu…

673. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of public funding provided to an organisation (details supplied) in each of the past five years; the way in which this funding is allocated across administration, high-performance programmes, youth development, and athlete support, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9755/26]

674. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the way in which he justifies the practice of charging families for participation in state-supported Olympic development pathways, particularly where athletes have met high-performance selection standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9760/26]

675. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps which are being taken to ensure that access to elite development pathways in Irish sport is based on ability and performance rather than a family’s capacity to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9763/26]

676. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if there are any funding schemes or grant assistance in his Department to assist a school (details supplied) to participate in the Under 17's ISF World Cup to be held in Suzhou, China in October 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9778/26]

677. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the grant aid or funding provided to Meath, Wicklow and Kildare local authorities by his Department, and bodies under its aegis, in the past five years to date, and by heading. [10048/26]

678. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport his plans to establish a new arts and culture venue in Kildare north. [10049/26]

679. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to detail the supports available to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10119/26]

680. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide details of all active interdepartmental, interagency, and department-agency working groups organised under his remit. [10150/26]

681. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the number of persons that attended each of the National Culture Institutions under the remit of his Department in 2025; if he will provide the corresponding figures for 2024, in tabular form. [10305/26]

682. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the position regarding the pension increase for retired employees of a company (details supplied); if this is under review within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10410/26]

683. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he can outline a timeframe for when he was sent recommendations in relation to the proposed pension increase for retired employees of a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10411/26]

684. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he has or if he will engage with retired employees of a company (details supplied) regarding the pension increase that was recommended for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10412/26]

685. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the discussions between the Minister and the Northern Executive Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, on collaboration between both administrations on water quality issues in Lough Neagh and surrounding environment; the actions which have been agreed; if there is a timeline available on thes…

686. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the supports which are currently available for first time buyers of second hand homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9163/26]

687. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider expanding the first home scheme for purchasers of second hand homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9164/26]

688. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to clarify in primary legislation that where the practical hallmarks of a tenancy exist (exclusive possession of a room, rent, fixed term, shared common areas), the arrangement is treated as a tenancy for the purposes of the Residential Tenancies Acts, and rent pressure zone rules; and if he will make a statement on t…