Questions

326. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she aware that the ongoing crisis relating to defective concrete blocks continues to have a profound impact on students and staff across Donegal ETB schools;if she will request her Department to accede to the request from Donegal ETB for an additional guidance counsellor allocation for a defined period; expansion of the home school commun…

327. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the major extension project at a school (details supplied); and her Department’s response to the proposal from Donegal ETB to construct a new school building on an adjacent site. [36502/26]

328. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the plans for the future development of a school (details supplied). [36503/26]

329. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the way in which her Department can assist Donegal ETB with the serious staffing challenges that they face and have conveyed to her Department. [36504/26]

330. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she or her predecessors received legal advice on the implications for her Department of the decision in a case (details supplied); the reasons, as examples, the school year, week and day have not been statutorily prescribed under section 25 of the Education Act 1998 and school curriculums have never been prescribed under section 30 of that Act; wh…

331. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport given that Eir is not a designated body under NewERA, the reason he has ‘sought the advice of the New Economy and Recovery Authority (NewERA) on this pension increase’ which has been approved by the company and the pension trustees/managers, last July 2025. [36472/26]

332. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if his Department or any bodies and agencies under its aegis use, or have in the past used, software and or products from a company (details supplied); the duration and cost of the contract; and the services they avail of from the company. [35861/26]

333. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide a copy of the recent correspondence issued by the Minister for Public Expenditure; National Development Plan Delivery and Reform to his Department referred to in media reports (details supplied); if he will provide details of the percentage reduction(s) in spending in his Department referenced in the correspondence; and if he wil…

334. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the funding available to support aspiring creative writers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36447/26]

335. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will provide a breakdown of spending on advertising which was funded or overseen by his Department, and bodies under its aegis, in each of the past five, including a breakdown by medium that is radio, television, social media, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36485/26]

336. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of local authority owned houses currently lying vacant in County Mayo; the reasons these properties remain idle; and the steps being taken to bring them back into use as social housing, particularly in light of ongoing homelessness and housing shortages. [35805/26]

337. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of five council owned houses in Swinford that have been lying vacant for approximately two years; the reasons refurbishment works have not yet been completed; and when these homes will be made available to families on the housing list. [35806/26]

338. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the funding that is available to Mayo County Council to refurbish and re-let vacant council houses; whether additional emergency funding will be provided to speed up turnaround times; and if he will act to ensure vacant properties are prioritised over long-term emergency accommodation. [35807/26]

339. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how he justifies council-owned houses remaining vacant for extended periods while families and individuals are forced to stay in homeless shelters and emergency accommodation; and the measures being introduced to prevent prolonged vacancy of local authority housing stock. [35808/26]

340. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average length of time council houses remain vacant before being reallocated; whether targets exist for bringing such houses back into use; and if specific action will be taken regarding vacant properties in Swinford, given the increasing number of people struggling to secure permanent housing. [35809/26]

341. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department or any bodies and agencies under its aegis use, or have in the past used, software and or products from a company (details supplied); the duration and cost of the contract; and the services they avail of from the company. [35869/26]

342. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the rationale for reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding with an organisation (details supplied) and his Department, in light of the recommendations of the Independent Advisory Committee report published under Ireland's Nature Restoration Plan by Minister of State Christopher O'Sullivan, which emphasises the importance of engag…

343. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has engaged with representative countryside, conservation and rural stakeholder organisations, farming organisations, hunting associations and game management groups, regarding proposed EU restrictions on lead ammunition; and if he will detail the engagement undertaken to date. [35920/26]

344. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason local authorities are no longer accepting properties under long-term leasing arrangements (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35932/26]

345. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to urgently examine a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35936/26]

346. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the final turnout for Vote 34, including capital and current expenditure and all subheads and programme level outturns, for each year from 2020 to 2025, in tabular form. [35946/26]

347. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his engagements with representatives countryside, conservation and rural stakeholder organisations, farming organisations, hunting associations and game management groups, regarding proposed EU restrictions on lead ammunition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35951/26]

348. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage which councils accept self-declarations in terms of owning properties abroad when a person from abroad applies for local authority homes. [35969/26]

349. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how long immigrants must be habitually resident in Ireland before they can apply for local author homes. [35970/26]

350. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is aware of a case involving a family in County Kildare (details supplied ) whose applications under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme (CTCCS) were verbally confirmed as approved in November 2025 but subsequently reopened and reassessed; the reason for this reversal and the change in evidential requirement…