Questions

77. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps she is taking to address the precarious employment conditions facing newly qualified teachers; her views on the current contractual arrangements are contributing to the substitution crisis being experienced by schools in County Clare and nationally; the timeline for systemic reform of teacher employment pathways; and if she will make a stateme…

78. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports available to a school (details supplied) to progress necessary roof works now assessed as being beyond further patch repair, following the outcome of its emergency works scheme application; whether her Department’s technical staff can engage with the school in light of the health and safety concerns outlined; and if she will make a st…

79. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the current method of teacher allocation for primary schools, given that allocations are based on the previous year’s enrolment figures; if she will consider adopting a system that uses projected enrolment numbers in situations where schools are experiencing significant growth and large incoming junior Infant cohorts; the reasons f…

80. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps her Department is taking to address period poverty; if she will introduce a scheme to provide free period products in all schools, ensuring that no student’s education or wellbeing is compromised due to lack of access to essential products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16276/26]

81. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans for changes to the assessment of need process to access special education places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27854/26]

82. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will visit a school (details supplied) to view the unacceptable conditions for the children, teachers and staff at the school and to advise them on the way in which plans can be advanced for a new school on the new site offered free of charge to the State, within the town boundaries of Milford. [28754/26]

83. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will instigate a review of the Teaching Council’s Registration routes and open a public consultation for feedback from teaching professionals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29149/26]

84. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department is coordinating with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to ensure sufficient school places and in-school supports for children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13251/26]

85. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the work currently being undertaken by her Department to upskill teachers to support children with special educational needs, including through initial teacher education and continuous professional development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28418/26]

86. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the status of the capital project at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28745/26]

87. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the declaration form in Appendix 1 of Circulars 0037/2026 and 0038/2026 requires teachers to declare union affiliation as a condition of applying for a post of responsibility; if she recognises this is without precedent in Irish education; if she will reverse this decision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29042/26]

88. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the new school building (details supplied); and the reason the design team have not heard back from her Department since May 2025. [28236/26]

89. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the progress of a new school building (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29072/26]

90. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the Dublin 15 Special Education Taskforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29033/26]

91. Deputy David Maxwell asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the proposed amalgamation of schools (details supplied); the current status of discussions with the respective school patrons and Boards of Management; the proposed timeline for any decision on amalgamation; and the steps her Department is taking to support this process. [17298/26]

92. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the €600 million overspend within her Department was identified; the controls that failed to identify this overspend; the consequences of same; what the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation has informed her of in relation to allowing this overspend to occur; the rationale behind the increase i…

93. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are any plans, proposals, or considerations to establish an Educate Together primary school in Dundalk, County Louth, given the growing parental demand for multi-denominational education in the region (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28230/26]

94. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth when funding will be provided for new school buildings (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28992/26]

95. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the procedures in place within her Department that ensures that significant population growth in an area is matched with additional school capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27966/26]

96. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current school transport funding provisions for special schools in County Mayo; if she will conduct a funding review to identify any gaps that require schools to fundraise themselves for essential services, such as school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29126/26]

97. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to explain the rationale for Drogheda, the largest town in the country, being overlooked for investment under the new DEIS plus scheme despite meeting the criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29041/26]

98. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown of the time spent at each stage of the delivery process for projects under the school building programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28460/26]

99. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in north Kildare that are on a waiting list for a local primary ASD place; whether forward planning for ASD provision is undertaken on an area-based basis in identified growth areas in north Kildare; the additional ASD class provision planned locally for the 2026 and 2027 school years; and if she will make a statement on the…

100. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the criteria for the allocation of DEIS + status, if another round of DEIS+ allocations will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28031/26]

101. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on special education provision in Dublin mid-west, including new builds and extensions in mainstream settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27575/26]