332. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a parents’ association established under section 26 of the Education Act 1998 is an independent representative body of the parents of pupils in the school; whether a principal, board of management or school patron has any statutory authority to direct or control the views, advice, communications or activities of a parents’ association; whether…
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 Ken O'Flynn .
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333. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify the legal effect of section 26(2)(a) of the Education Act 1998, which provides that a parents’ association may advise the principal or board of management on any matter relating to the school and that the principal or board shall have regard to such advice; whether this requires the principal or board to formally consider advice submitted b…
335. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to set out, specifically in relation to section 26 of the Education Act 1998, the statutory role and functions of a parents’ association in a recognised school; to clarify whether a parents’ association is intended to act as an independent representative body for the parents of pupils in the school; and to identify the matters on which a parents’ asso…
336. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the functions the National Parents Council will perform following full implementation of the student and parent charter; and if she will provide a list of those functions. [71873/26]
337. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify the relationship between a parents association established under section 26 of the Education Act 1998 and an association (details supplied); whether the association has any statutory or departmental mandate to represent or support parents associations in disputes with principals, boards of management or patrons; and the formal mechanism tha…
338. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has assessed if the functions performed by the National Parents Council will duplicate functions provided for under the student and parent charter. [71874/26]
339. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify whether a parents association established under section 26 of the Education Act 1998 is accountable to the principal, board of management or patron of the school in respect of the views it expresses or advice it provides; if not, to whom the association is accountable in carrying out its statutory functions; and to clarify whether the schoo…
340. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total amount of State funding provided to the National Parents Council in each of the past five years; and the amount allocated for 2026, if available. [71875/26]
341. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the National Parents Council has statutory functions under the student and parent charter; and, if so, to specify each such function. [71876/26]
342. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the National Parents Council will have a role in monitoring schools’ compliance with student and parent charters; and, if so, to specify that role. [71877/26]
343. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify the obligation imposed on a board of management by section 26(3) of the Education Act 1998 to facilitate and give all reasonable assistance to parents who establish a parents association and to the association once established; to define the meaning of what constitutes “all reasonable assistance” for the purposes of this provision; and to i…
344. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the functions relating to parent participation that are performed by the National Parents Council that are not performed by her Department’s parents and learners unit. [71878/26]
345. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether an organisation (details supplied) continues to be recognised by her Department as the national representative organisation for parents in primary and post primary education; whether its representative and policy development functions as described in Circular 24/91 remain part of her Department's current policy; and the body or mechanism that …
346. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a school may satisfy a parent's exercise of the right under section 30(2)(e) of the Education Act 1998 by requiring a child to remain physically present in the classroom while the instruction to which the parent has objected is delivered; if not, the national guidance that has been issued to schools regarding the physical removal or alternativ…
347. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she intends to review the continued State funding of the National Parents Council following full implementation of the Student and Parent Charter. [71880/26]
348. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific services, outputs and deliverables required from the National Parents Council in return for State funding in 2026. [71879/26]
349. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applications for assistive technology for children with special educational needs received by her Department in each of the years 2024, 2025 and 2026; the number approved and refused, respectively; the number currently awaiting a decision; the average processing time to sanction; the longest period an application has remained awaiting sa…
358. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the arrangements that are in place for assistive technology provided to a child under the Department's assistive technology scheme when that child transfers to another primary school or the child moves from primary to post-primary education; whether the child retains the device and brings it to their new school; whether a new application or assessment…
360. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the maximum timeframe her Department considers acceptable between a child's need for assistive technology being identified and the child receiving the required device; whether her Department has a formal service standard or target for processing assistive technology applications; and the percentage of applications in 2025 and 2026 that were processed …
369. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether all primary and post-primary schools have been formally informed of the provisions of Circular 0010/2013, concerning the transfer of assistive technology with a pupil when they change school, including when progressing to post-primary; whether further guidance has issued to schools on this process; and whether she will publish any circular, gu…
383. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth following the review of the assistive technology scheme, whether she will provide the findings and outcome of that review; and to detail the actions taken, or proposed, arising from the review, including changes to the scheme eligibility criteria funding or provisions of the devices. [72127/26]
248. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason an organisation was included in the agreement on the Revised Parental Complaints Procedure for Primary Schools; whether any organisations representing parents, people of no religion or belief, or secular interests were consulted or invited to participate in its development; the criteria used to determine which organisations were included in…
249. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the role her Department had in the development and agreement of the Revised Parental Complaints Procedure for Primary Schools, which came into effect on 1 January 2024; the organisations consulted during its revision; the reason an organisation was included as a party to the agreement; whether parent representative organisations or organisations repre…
418. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 65399/26 whether her Department has carried out or will carry out an assessment of the average cost incurred by families in preparing a child to return to primary and post primary school, including books, devices, voluntary contributions and transport, given that such costs are a matter for her Department; and if …
600. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 62819/26 of 7 September 2026, the current status of the review of Circular 0032/2017 on the cost of school uniforms referred to in the reply; the date on which that review is expected to conclude; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65403/26]