Questions

94. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the funding to be provided for youth services in 2027; the number of additional staff to be recruited through this funding, broken down by role, funding scheme and county; the net increase in staffing compared with 2026; and the timetable for recruitment and filling these posts, in tabular form. [74607/26]

98. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of early intervention classes operating, and the number of places available, in each school year from 2022-2023 to 2026-2027, broken down by county, in tabular form; and her views on the value of early intervention classes to autistic children who have difficulty transitioning to mainstream primary school/primary special school. [74605/26]

1293. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the financial difficulties facing a school (details supplied), arising from her Department’s decision to reimburse only 50% of bus escort costs at the start of the 2025–2026 school year, with the balance not due until January 2026; if she recognises the significant cash flow pressures this places on schools providin…

424. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department or NEPS has sought any change to the current accreditation or training standards for educational psychologists, including any change from a requirement for experience across mental health, disability and education settings; the rationale for any such change; whether an organisations relevant professional divisions (details suppl…

425. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether NEPS is currently supporting, funding or facilitating educational psychology doctorate placements that are primarily or exclusively school-based; whether such placements meet existing PSI accreditation standards; whether any concerns have been raised by PSI, CORU, universities, the HSE or other child health services; and if she will make a sta…

426. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of educational psychology trainees currently funded or sponsored by NEPS, the HSE or other agencies; the contractual obligations attached to such funding; the number of trainees who have sought to withdraw from NEPS-funded arrangements or repay funding in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49871/26…

427. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of NEPS psychologists that are currently employed; the number of whole-time equivalent vacancies; and the turnover rate in each of the past five years. [49872/26]

428. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the assessment that has been carried out on whether educational psychology training delivered largely through NEPS placements would equip graduates to work with children under five, non-verbal children, children with acquired brain injury, children with significant mental health needs, children requiring autism diagnostic assessment, and children requ…

430. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has examined the implications of training a significantly increased number of psychologists through school-based placements when major psychology shortages exist in CDNTs, CAMHS, primary care psychology, CHI and assessment of need services; whether there is a risk that public funding will produce graduates whose training is too …

431. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether graduates of educational psychology programmes with placements largely or exclusively in NEPS settings would be eligible and considered competent to work outside NEPS, including in HSE child psychology posts, CDNTs, primary care psychology, CAMHS, CAMHS-ID, CHI and assessment of need services; the discussions that have taken place with the HSE…

432. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the role additional NEPS-supported educational psychology trainees are expected to play in reducing assessment of need waiting lists, supporting implementation of the Autism Assessment Protocol and meeting the needs of children under five or children with complex disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49878/26]

852. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has issued guidance to primary schools that provide, host, facilitate or contract after-school services on the inclusion of children with disabilities or additional needs; whether such services are expected to be accessible to children with additional care, communication, sensory, behavioural or medical needs; the supports avail…

853. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether school-age childcare and after-school services operating in or through primary schools are required to make provision for children with disabilities or additional needs; what statutory, regulatory or funding obligations apply to such services in relation to inclusion and reasonable accommodation; if supports are available to providers to enabl…

609. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the Minister of State at the Department of Education with special responsibility for Special Education and Inclusion will meet with a group (details supplied), as he promised to do in October of last year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34934/26]

140. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the current lack of funding streams available to support the staging of curriculum-based theatrical productions for post-primary students; if she acknowledges that prescribed Leaving Certificate texts, such as Othello by William Shakespeare, form a core part of the English curriculum; if consideration has been given to supporting ac…

1265. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of places available for students with additional needs at primary and secondary level, respectively, for the school term starting September 2026, by school and locality; and the number of students on a waiting list for place in respect of same, in tabular form. [24115/26]

1266. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the annual salary cost per SNA in primary schools in comparison to post-primary schools, based on current salary scales, for the school year beginning September 2026, in tabular form. [24116/26]

1416. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) with an existing allocation of 0.4 HSCL post did not receive an increased allocation under the recent expansion; if she will review the allocation in this case given the demonstrated level of need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25548/26]

1461. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the parental leave arrangements for teachers and special needs assistants to allow greater flexibility in the way in which leave may be taken, including shorter blocks than the current standard arrangement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26041/26]

1462. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for requiring parental leave for teachers and special needs assistants to be taken in fixed blocks rather than in a more flexible pattern that reflects the realities of modern family life and childcare needs; and whether reform is under consideration. [26042/26]

1463. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has examined the impact of current parental leave rules on the retention of teachers and special needs assistants, particularly parents of young children; and if she will publish any such analysis. [26043/26]

1464. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she accepts that the limited flexibility available under current parental leave arrangements places particular pressure on school staff with childcare responsibilities; and if she will outline any engagement her Department has had with unions or staff representatives on possible reforms. [26044/26]

1465. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department will review the job-sharing scheme for teachers and special needs assistants to allow more flexible patterns of attendance, including family-friendly arrangements such as a two-day/three-day split across alternating weeks, where compatible with school needs. [26045/26]

1466. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth the extent to which schools currently have discretion to approve flexible job-sharing patterns for teachers and special needs assistants; the guidance issued by her Department on this matter; and whether updated guidance will issue to promote greater flexibility for parents. [26046/26]

1467. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has considered if the present operation of the job-sharing scheme, including timetabling arrangements that may still spread attendance across five days, undermines its usefulness for parents trying to manage childcare responsibilities. [26047/26]