Questions

286. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total amount of funding issued under the grant scheme for ICT infrastructure (and predecessor schemes under the Digital Strategy for Schools) in each of the years 2016 to date; of that total, the amount that was expended by schools on software licences, subscriptions, cloud-based tools, learning platforms and education applications as opposed to h…

290. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify if English language schools for foreign nationals are subject to inspection by her Department. [75135/26]

291. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the cumulative value of ICT grant funding that has been spent on annual or multi-year software licences, subscriptions and cloud services since the commencement of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015–2020; whether the Department regards this expenditure as constituting a recurring revenue stream for the commercial suppliers concerned; and if she wil…

292. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to set out the public procurement frameworks, dynamic purchasing systems or national agreements currently available to schools for the purchase of educational software licences and cloud services; the identity of the suppliers on those frameworks; whether the Department or the Office of Government Procurement has negotiated volume discounts or educati…

293. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether schools are required to report, either to the Department, the Financial Support Services Unit or their Education and Training Board, the identity of suppliers and the amounts paid for software licences and subscriptions purchased with ICT grant funding; if such reporting is not currently required, whether she intends to introduce it; and the r…

294. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to list, in descending order of value, the ten commercial suppliers or product suites that received the largest amounts of ICT grant funding from schools for software licences, subscriptions or cloud services in each of the years 2022 to date; the percentage of total software-related ICT grant expenditure accounted for by the top three suppliers in ea…

295. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to the grant scheme for ICT Infrastructure, whether the Department holds, or can obtain from schools or education and training boards, data on the value of expenditure made from ICT grant funding with companies or product families (details supplied) in each of the last five years; and any other learning platform or educational application on w…

49. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the proposed special educational needs extension project at a school in County Offaly (details supplied); whether the project remains approved in principle following the completion of planning permission and Stage 2B submissions; the reason it is now subject to a National Development Plan prioritisation review; and when…

515. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary and secondary schools operating over capacity, by county. [74291/26]

516. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of primary and secondary schools operating under capacity, by county. [74290/26]

296. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the long-promised new school building (details supplied); the reason for the prolonged delay given that negotiations and planning for a new school have been ongoing for over a decade; the expected timeline for progression to tender, construction and completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48632/26]

305. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department monitors school compliance with the Bí Cineálta procedures; the recourse if any a parent or guardian has in circumstances where they feel a given school is not complying with Bí Cineálta procedures with respect to allegations of bullying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46938/26]

306. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she accepts that the revised parental complaints procedure for schools provides adequate independence for parents at each stage of the process; whether her Department has considered introducing an independent element such as a mediator or independent investigator at some point in the procedure before the Ombudsman for Children becomes the first gen…

857. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if continued funding will be provided for the STEM officer role in Offaly County Council; the impact and outcomes of this role to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42632/26]

543. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total expenditure on English language supports for non-Irish national pupils in primary and post-primary schools in 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38971/26]

545. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the projected number of new special classes to be established in 2026 under the revised estimates; the number of applications currently outstanding for special class places in her constituency; when all children with special educational needs will have access to appropriate placements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38999/26]

546. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide the breakdown of the €1.547 billion capital allocation for school infrastructure in 2026, by county; the number of large-scale building projects planned for rural counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39000/26]

547. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated cost of the EU Presidency allocation of €4.217 million in the 2026 Education Vote; the specific education-related events that are planned; whether this represents value for money for the taxpayer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39001/26]

548. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for the reduction in the number of school building projects completed in recent years as set out in her Department’s Vote performance indicators; the actions she is taking to accelerate delivery of new school buildings and avoid further delays for pupils in temporary accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39002/26]

549. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the Revised Estimates include any specific ring-fenced funding to support small rural schools facing enrolment pressures or potential closure; if she will commit to protecting the viability of rural schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39003/26]

611. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students in primary and post-primary schools reported as absent for 20 or more days in the 2024-2025 school year; the breakdown between casual non-attendance and cases linked to school reluctance or emotionally based school avoidance; if she will provide the figures for each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39747/…

612. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific supports and funding provided to schools to address emotionally based school avoidance, EBSA; the number of schools that have implemented dedicated gradual return plans or well-being programmes for students with school reluctance in the past two years; and if she is satisfied that current resources, including NEPS and Tusla Education Supp…

613. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department's assessment of the increase in school reluctance since the Covid-19 pandemic; the measures contained in the Tusla five-year plan for school attendance that specifically target emotionally based school avoidance; and when an updated national guidance document for schools and parents on this issue will be published. [39749/26]

614. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to support neurodivergent students including those with autism and ADHD experiencing school reluctance; the waiting times for assessments and interventions through NEPS and CAMHS for school avoidance cases; if she will consider additional training and resources for teachers in trauma-informed and neuro-affirming approaches; and i…

615. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students referred to Tusla Education Welfare Services due to persistent absence linked to school reluctance in 2024 and to date in 2026; the success rate of re-engagement for these students; whether her Department is tracking the long-term educational and mental health outcomes for children affected by prolonged school avoidance; and if …