382. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the ongoing dispute involving school secretaries and caretakers; the current status of engagement between her Department, Fórsa and other stakeholders; the steps being taken to resolve outstanding issues relating to pay, conditions and the implementation of prior agreements; and if she will make a statement on the m…
Parliamentary questions
Questions
TDs ask ministers questions to get answers on the record, most of them in writing. Here is every one asked in the 34th Dáil, by the department it went to and the subject heading it was filed under. How questions work
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Showing questions asked by Michael Murphy .
91 questions match, newest first.
267. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the detailed delivery plan, including timelines and key milestones, for the full modular build comprising of 14 classrooms and associated facilities to address the accommodation crisis at a school (details supplied); the expected date for the completion of the design and planning stage; and the projected date for delivery and occupation of the new …
286. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has assessed the role of rural schools as key community hubs; the risks posed by funding pressures; and whether her Department can support initiatives to sustain rural schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67147/25]
317. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the significant financial pressure on schools in meeting day-to-day operational costs such as heating, insurance, cleaning and electricity; the additional supports being provided in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67136/25]
318. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide details of the financial supports available to small rural primary schools that are struggling to meet basic operational costs in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67137/25]
319. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is satisfied that current capitation rates are adequate to meet the real costs of running a school; if her Department has carried out a recent review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67138/25]
320. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if additional funding will be provided to schools facing high heating and electricity costs, particularly in older buildings and rural schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67139/25]
321. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has engaged with the Department of Finance or the insurance sector regarding the increasing insurance costs being reported by many schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67140/25]
322. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the increasing reliance on parent and community fundraising to cover core operational expenses in many small rural schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67141/25]
323. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has analysed the additional administrative and operational pressures on small rural schools with multigrade classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67142/25]
324. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she intends to increase principal release days for teaching principals in small schools to support administration and management demands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67143/25]
325. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline measures in place to support the long-term viability of small rural schools facing enrolment, staffing and funding pressures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67144/25]
326. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide funding for energy-efficiency upgrades in older school buildings, including many small rural schools where energy costs are disproportionately high; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67145/25]
327. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are delays in the emergency works scheme affecting small rural schools; the average decision timeline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [67146/25]
395. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will direct the NCSE to issue additional letters of eligibility where assessments were completed shortly after the 1 October deadline and where it is clear that delays resulted from systemic or service-capacity issues rather than any failure on the part of families. [65646/25]
396. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is satisfied that the decision of the NCSE to introduce a significantly earlier closing date of 1 October for the submission of parental notifications and supporting reports has been implemented in a fair and reasonable manner; and the measures her Department is taking to ensure that families who were unable to secure assessment reports with…
397. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the NCSE policy of refusing to issue letters of eligibility where parents submitted notifications on time but were unable to obtain the required professional reports until later in October; and if flexibility will be introduced in light of capacity constraints within assessment services. [65648/25]
398. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if transitional arrangements were put in place for the first year of the revised NCSE application timeline; the considerations taken to ensure families were not disadvantaged by the abrupt change; and whether she will instruct the NCSE to reconsider applications where reports were delayed through no fault of the family. [65649/25]
399. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth her assessment of the impact that refusing additional letters of eligibility will have on the ability of children with complex needs to access appropriate school placements for September 2026 where some families were only weeks outside the October 1 deadline, particularly in cases where school enrolment windows extend into early next year. [65650/2…
400. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is satisfied with the level of communication provided to families regarding the new NCSE notification deadlines, required documentation, and approved assessors’ list; and if she will commit to publishing clear, accessible guidance for future application cycles. [65651/25]
401. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will undertake a review of the NCSE eligibility process, including timelines and communication practices, to ensure it operates in a fair, transparent, and child-centred manner. [65652/25]
932. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the nature and extent of State support provided to fee-paying schools in relation to the establishment and operation of special classes; the level and criteria of staffing supports such as teachers and special needs assistants; the availability and scale of any capital or ICT grants for such provision; any formal agreements or frameworks governing …
473. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will increase the capitation grant for primary schools in Budget 2026, in order to ensure that schools can cover essential running costs such as heating, electricity, cleaning, insurance and maintenance, and to reduce reliance on voluntary contributions from parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51619/25]
268. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the recently published National Council for Special Education SNA review process guidelines for 2025–2026, in view of concerns raised by parents, schools and SNAs that the narrowed eligibility criteria, short application window, and redeployment of allocations risk reducing supports for children with complex needs; and the consul…
269. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress to date with the primary school divestment programme; the reasons for its limited outcomes since 2018; and her plans to ensure that families have access to greater choice in multi-denominational and non-denominational education, in view of Census 2023 findings which show a significant decline in the proportion of the population identif…