Questions

276. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to review the processes surrounding the Home Tuition Programme, such as the time it takes for families to receive approval, the time it takes for tutors to be assigned and the level of paperwork involved, with a view to making it more efficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52616/26]

277. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the Irish-medium post-primary education options currently available to students residing in County Offaly; the number of students from County Offaly currently attending Gaelcholáistí or Irish-medium post-primary units outside the county; whether her Department has assessed the demand for Irish-medium second-level education within County Offaly; wh…

278. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria, considerations and thresholds applied by her Department when determining whether a Gaelcholáiste or Irish-medium post-primary unit should be established in an area; the role of demographic projections, parental demand, existing Irish-medium primary provision and school capacity in that assessment; and if she will make a statement on …

279. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils currently enrolled in Irish-medium primary education in County Offaly; the number expected to transition to post-primary education in each of the next five years; whether her Department considers this cohort sufficient to support Irish-medium second-level provision within the county; and if she will make a statement on the mat…

280. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of school transport tickets issued under the school transport scheme for each of the academic years 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026, broken down by eligible tickets and discretionary tickets; the number of applications received for discretionary school transport tickets in each of those academic years; the number of discretionary tick…

281. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth the options open to ensure that a child (details supplied) can access education in a school. [52665/26]

282. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which a person can submit an FOI request on the way the State Examination Commission writes and stress tests exam papers to ensure that there are no errors (details supplied).; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52685/26]

283. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth if students who are meant to be starting in first year in a school (details supplied) but who, due to delays in the construction of the modular unit, are having their start date in the school pushed back to mid-October 2026, could be provided with dedicated SNAs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52691/26]

284. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on an application made through the online portal on behalf of a pupil for the July Provision Summer Programme (details supplied), especially as arrangements have already been made for the programme and a tutor for the pupil; if the application will get appropriate consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52699/26]

285. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to ensure assessments of needs are completed as quickly as possible for children (details supplied); that they receive funding for SNA hours and home tuition due to lack of school places suitable for their needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52709/26]

286. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Youth to review the case of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52773/26]

287. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 693 of 30 June 2026, if she is satisfied that school policies and procedures are sufficient to ensure children are protected; the way in which she assesses the system of child protection at school is fit-for-purpose; if she has concerns about the capacity of the system elsewhere, for example in Tusla, An Garda…

288. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is a specific policy within her Department that seeks to preclude those elected to local authorities from any boards that she may appoint; the rationale behind any such policy; the way in which it aligns with encouraging participation in local government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52852/26]

289. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to commit to preparing legislation to not automatically exclude members of local authorities from consideration for appointment to State boards; and to set out the reasons such persons would be excluded. [52870/26]

290. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department, or any agency operating under its remit, maintains records identifying the reasons students who entered first year in Cork county and city and in the 2018-2019 academic year, did not subsequently complete the Leaving Certificate; if so, the categories of reasons recorded and the number of students recorded under each category; if no…

291. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the procedures that are in place to identify students considered at risk of not completing second level education; the number of students in Cork county and city from the 2018-2019 first year cohort were identified as being at risk during their time in second level education; the interventions that were offered in each school year; the number of stude…

292. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of students that completed the Junior Cycle in each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [52940/26]

293. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of The Junior Certificate Schools Programme completion rate since its establishment, in tabular form. [52941/26]

294. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of students that progressed to sit the Leaving Certificate in each of the past ten years. [52942/26]

295. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of the retention rate of students enrolled in the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme in each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [52943/26]

296. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the retention rates across voluntary secondary schools, community and comprehensive schools, and ETB schools in the each of the past ten years, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52944/26]

297. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide DEIS school retention rates for each of the past ten years, in tabular form. [52945/26]

298. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will report on the outcome of the DEIS Connect initiative in a school (details supplied); if this scheme has been rolled out to other schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52948/26]

299. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures she is taking to address the shortage of teachers in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52963/26]

300. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is considering a change in policy that would allow work spent in a secondary school abroad, public or private, be recognised for incremental credits; if she will outline the detail of any proposed change; if it will be one-for-one or a partial credit for example; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52964/26]