Questions

1. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children with additional needs who require but have yet to receive an offer of an appropriate school place for September 2026, based on her most recent meeting with the National Council for Special Education, NCSE; the date of same; the measures she is taking to ensure that every child with additional needs has an appropriate school pl…

2. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the commitment in Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028 to produce a workforce development strategy; if an advisory group has, or is intended to be, set up; the terms of reference for the group; if pay and conditions are to be considered as part of the strategy; if sh…

3. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the fact that Ireland has the largest primary school class sizes in the EU; the measures she is taking to address the recruitment and retention crisis in primary school teaching; if she will provide for 1,000 more primary teachers in budget 2027 to allow more individual attention, more effective teaching, and stron…

4. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for setting 1 September 2026 as the closing date for applications for special school and special class places for the 2027-2028 school year; the exceptions that will apply where parents are unable to provide the required documentation by that date; the consultation undertaken by her Department and the National Council for Special Educatio…

5. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements in place for parents and parent representative organisations to raise concerns directly with her Department regarding the national education curriculum and provision of educational resources; and the frequency with which she personally meets with such bodies. [54436/26]

6. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline her plans to reduce the teacher-pupil ratio in primary schools to 19:1, as per the programme for Government commitment, and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54419/26]

7. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if further consideration will be given by her Department to a refused additional school accommodation scheme application for a school in light of the school’s projected increase in enrolment numbers and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51363/26]

8. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether, when considering the provision of modular accommodation for special education classes in schools, her Department assesses the wider curricular, accommodation and long-term development needs of the school, including projected enrolment growth, specialist teaching spaces and future permanent accommodation requirements; and if she will make a s…

9. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education and Youth in relation to grants for assistive technology for students, whether there are plans to increase the funding for this scheme, update or change the criteria for this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53968/26]

10. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the DEIS plus appeal by a school (details supplied); when this school can expect to be notified of the outcome; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54075/26]

11. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, in light of the recently published parental preference survey for the Killester, Raheny, Clontarf School Planning Area showing that 62.1% of parents favour multi-denominational primary education and 87.6% favour co-educational primary education, the steps her Department will take to ensure the availability of a co-educational, multi-denomination…

12. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on existing school building projects in Dublin Mid-West which are not yet approved; the current stage of each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54070/26]

13. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Mairéad Farrell den Minister for Education and Youth maidir le ceist 40786/26 ar an 28 Bealtaine 2026, an dtabharfaidh sí an t-eolas is déanaí maidir le hoibreacha atá á ndéanamh ar scoil an Tuairín i mBéal an Daingin; an bhfuil aon athrú ar an stádas don tionscnamh; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [54054/26]

14. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to address outstanding concerns of SNAs in view of rejection by members of a union (details supplied) of the workforce development plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53897/26]

15. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on this year’s climate action summer works scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54102/26]

16. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to ensure school bus tickets are issued in advance of the commencement of the 2026-27 school year; the steps being taken to avoid a recurrence of the delays and capacity issues experienced last year, which resulted in eligible children being left without transport or unable to access existing routes; and if she will make a stat…

17. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider the introduction of a national programme for post-primary schools aimed at educating students about domestic violence and gender-based violence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52669/26]

18. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the twenty-one students who attend a school (details supplied) and applied and paid for school transport through Bus Éireann can instead be accommodated on existing routes from Westport and Castlebar, following their own application being declined after all students were assessed as concessionary; and if she will make a statement on the matter…

19. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline any progress toward providing a general purpose hall or sporting facilities for a school (details supplied). [53707/26]

20. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to provide certainty to families in advance of the commencement of the 2026-2027 school year regarding school transport allocations and charges; the steps being taken to ensure that families receive timely confirmation of school bus placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53983/26]

21. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide funding to ensure that STEM officers remain in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50253/26]

22. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of an additional accommodation project application by a school (details supplied); when the school can proceed to the next phase given it is a DEIS 1 school and is in urgent need of upgrade; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54072/26]

23. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she supports the establishment of a cross-Government youth infrastructure unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54157/26]

24. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the school transport scheme will recognise designated feeder schools (details supplied) for the purpose of eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54200/26]

25. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is aware of the situation in a school (details supplied) in Naas in relation to requirements for another teacher for the upcoming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54123/26]