Questions

457. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the positive behaviour support (PBS) approach despite being the framework embedded in existing Irish legislation is not currently mandated for implementation within the education sector; if she is aware of reports from clinical professionals that the approach is not being applied in a meaningful or consistent way across schools; and if her…

458. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason specific and significant qualifications, equivalent to those required in adult services and other mandated sectors, are not mandatory for individuals providing guidance, training, and support regarding behaviours of concern within the education sector; the reason a level 9 Master's Degree in Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) and substantial…

530. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale behind the new inclusive special class model, which allows for the enrolment of up to 12 students in post-primary settings, effectively doubling the traditional capacity, while maintaining a staffing allocation of just 1.5 teachers and 2 SNAs; if she will address concerns regarding sensory overload, reduced individual attention and the …

538. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a teacher (details supplied) would, in light of Circular 0038/2026, and their qualifications and experience, be eligible to teach in an autism class or special class within a post-primary school setting; if so, whether this teacher would be remunerated on a post-primary salary scale; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29975/26]

635. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide detail on the application for a modular classroom to accommodate a mainstream class at a school in County Clare (details supplied) for the start of the 2026/2027 school year; the way in which she proposes to support and advance this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30957/26]

28. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on plans to develop new accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27397/26]

112. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans she has to overhaul the criteria used to determine DEIS status for primary and secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27398/26]

498. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1249 of 14 April 2026 (details supplied), if she will detail the financial allocation for the 2026 Climate Action Summer Works per county [28297/26]

507. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth her assessment of the ongoing teacher recruitment and retention crisis, with particular focus on the high-demand subject of mathematics; her views on the impact that the current eligibility criteria for a contract of indefinite duration (CID) have on early-career teachers' ability to achieve financial stability, including mortgage approval; if she wi…

1249. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a county breakdown of the €90 million investment package for the 2026 Climate Action Summer Works announced in November 2025. [23955/26]

1403. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an application made by a school (details supplied) under the climate action summer works scheme 2026 for wall cavity insulation; if her Department's attention has been drawn to the severe dampness and mould growth currently affecting all classrooms in the school; the timeline for the approval of the second tranche of funding under this…

142. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the main policy achievements of her Department since 22 January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23074/26]

459. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently sanction a modular classroom to accommodate a mainstream class at a school in County Clare (details supplied) for the start of the 2026/2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21408/26]

492. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a detailed update on the progression of an additional school accommodation project in County Clare (details supplied); the approximate timeline for when this project might proceed to its construction phase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21664/26]

120. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently arrange for officials from the buildings unit of her Department to visit a primary school in County Clare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17271/26]

428. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to address matters concerning notifications received by a number of primary schools that they were set to lose some of their SNA allocation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16412/26]

471. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she clarify the position of her Department on the provision of positive behaviour support within special education schools, autism classes and mainstream settings where autistic or behaviourally vulnerable students are enrolled (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16836/26]

136. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will fast-track an application made by a primary school in County Clare (details supplied) to develop an autism class on site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15644/26]

575. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide clarification on matters relating to special needs assistants who may be losing their posts (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14988/26]

589. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will positively consider the establishment of a special class for children with an autism diagnosis in a school in County Clare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15077/26]

307. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the proposed national youth sector reference group will interface with the interdepartmental/interagency group to ensure sector input directly informs budgetary and policy decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13488/26]

308. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a table of increases for the Youth Affairs funding subhead between 2025 and 2026; if she will provide this information to include 2025 allocation, 2026 allocation and percentage increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13489/26]

309. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the provisions made for cost-of-living and pay comparability pressures to prevent erosion of youth service capacity across funded organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13490/26]

140. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will urgently give approval for a school in County Clare (details supplied) to open an autism class for September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13164/26]

231. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of school building projects that have been completed, by county (details supplied) since 2020; the funding allocated for same, by county since 2020; to provide a breakdown the total number of projects currently under construction, per county; to provide a breakdown of the total number of projects currently in planning and design, per count…