Questions

871. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has considered the introduction of gender balance quotas, or other targeted measures, to encourage greater male participation in the teaching profession, including in the early years and preschool sector, given the significant gender imbalance and ongoing staffing shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45945/25]

872. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department holds statistics on the gender breakdown of teachers and educators at early years/preschool, primary, secondary, and third level; and if she will provide the most recent available figures. [45946/25]

943. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of cases in which funded, purpose-built, special education units in primary schools are being used to house a mainstream classes rather than the intended special education provision; and if she will outline the steps her Department will take to address this matter ensuring that children requiring specialist support are provided with th…

944. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the monitoring and follow-up procedures, in place to ensure that schools are using Department-funded, purpose-built special education units for their intended purpose; and if she will provide details of how compliance is checked both at the time of project completion and on an ongoing basis. [46462/25]

945. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions or sanctions that are available to her Department when a school uses a purpose-built special education unit for purposes other than that for which funding was granted; and if she will outline how the Department ensures accountability for public expenditure in such cases. [46463/25]

946. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline how her Department ensures that children who were due to be accommodated in a special education unit, but are instead placed full-time in a mainstream class, receive the level of specialist support, resources, and therapeutic input they are entitled to. [46464/25]

947. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department holds figures on the number of primary school pupils nationally who were placed on reduced school hours during the 2024-2025 academic year; and if she will provide a breakdown by county. [46465/25]

948. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of cases where primary school pupils were placed on reduced school hours for the entire 2024-2025 school year; and if she will outline what steps her Department is taking to address such practices, given that reduced timetables are intended to be short-term and exceptional. [46466/25]

949. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the monitoring and oversight mechanisms that her Department has in place to ensure that reduced school hours are only used in line with Department guidelines; and if she will outline how compliance is tracked across schools. [46467/25]

950. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the assessment her Department has carried out on the educational, social, and emotional impact on children placed on reduced school hours for extended periods; and if she will confirm whether additional supports are made available to such children. [46469/25]

951. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions or sanctions available to her Department in cases where schools fail to comply with the guidelines on reduced school hours and maintain children on reduced timetables beyond what is permitted. [46470/25]

952. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the training and qualifications required of teachers assigned to special education units in primary schools; if she will confirm the number of teachers currently working in such units that have completed specialist training in special education; and if she will outline the steps being taken to ensure that all teachers in special classes have the neces…

953. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the training and qualifications required of special needs assistants working in special educational units in primary schools; if she will provide details of any compulsory or optional training programmes supported by her Department; and if she will outline how her Department ensures that SNAs in special classes are equipped with the skills and support…

994. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth given the UK’s severe shortages of qualified physics teachers, affecting more than a quarter of state schools, if she will outline strategies to enhance recruitment and retention of STEM educators, particularly in remote areas such as Blarney, Mallow, and Glanmire. [46817/25]

1053. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being taken to support families and schools affected by the early closure on Thursday, 23 October, due to polling requirements; and if additional childcare provisions or compensations will be put in place. [47536/25]

1059. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth in view of the CSO showing Ireland’s population reached 5.38 million, driven by net migration of 79,300 in a single year, the specific school places that will be delivered by the Government in 2026 to keep pace with this surge. [47966/25]

226. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that some secondary schools are encouraging parents to incur financial debt by requiring the purchase of specific iPads, which cost on average €600; if she is further aware that these schools stipulate the exact make and model, limiting open market choice, and in many cases are directing parents to local credit unions to take out loans…

227. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that despite the Department’s circulars advising schools to reduce the cost of school uniforms by avoiding the use of branded or crested items, many primary and secondary schools continue to require expensive branded uniforms that can only be purchased from a single designated supplier, thereby limiting affordability and competition; a…

329. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total estimated cost to the Exchequer associated with the recent renaming and rebranding of her Department including but not limited to cost categories (details supplied); the breakdown of the incurred or projected costs; and if a cost-benefit analysis or any assessment of public value was carried out prior to approving these changes. [31363/25]

225. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will confirm whether all mechanics currently employed or contracted by public bodies, local authorities, or State-funded companies to maintain and service heavy-duty mechanically propelled vehicles possess the specific qualifications required under Irish and EU law to work on such vehicles; if he will outline the minimum legal and regulatory re…

204. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has conducted a review of the pension entitlements for all school secretaries and caretakers, given that the current legislative provisions do not afford them the same pension benefits as teachers and other staff who are directly employed by the Department. [26388/25]

49. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current qualification requirements for teachers assigned to special classes or special education units, including autism classes, in primary and post-primary schools; if it is a requirement that such teachers hold a postgraduate qualification in special educational needs; if not, the reason; and if her Department, in consultation with the National …

401. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of both primary and secondary schools that provide unisex wheelchair accessible toilets for both students and staff, by county, in tabular form, noting that the facilitation of unisex wheelchair accessible toileting facilities allows for assistance by a special needs assistant of either gender; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

584. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a comprehensive list of all non-governmental organisations operating within the State under the aegis of her Department, focusing particularly on those that may overlap in their missions and areas of operation (details supplied). [23811/25]

585. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth for each non-governmental organisation under the aegis of her Department, to provide a detailed breakdown of its core activities, geographical areas of operation, target demographics, and the specific services or programs they provide (details supplied). [23829/25]