Parliamentary questions

518. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1273 of 14 April 2026, the support available for any student that cannot pay the fee for State exams but does not qualify for a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28515/26]

519. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1273 of 14 April 2026, if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of secondary school principals in relation to the reintroduction of fees for State exams; the supports that will be in place in cases whereby parents are unwilling or unable to pay these fees; and if she will make a statement…

520. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding any research carried out into the level of demand for Irish medium primary schools at a national level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28530/26]

521. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding any research carried out into the level of demand for Irish medium primary schools at county-by-county level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28531/26]

522. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applications to date for each support available under the package of supports for survivors of abuse in residential institutions such as industrial schools and reformatories; the total value of each; the estimated waiting time it will take from the time of application to when the support is allocated; and if she w…

523. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason Eircodes are not included in announcements of new autism classes; if she will include them in future to make locations clearer for parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28569/26]

524. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new autism classes expected to open in September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28570/26]

525. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of new schools, including special schools, expected to open in 2026; where they will be located; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28571/26]

526. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current shortfall in autism class places; the expected shortfall for September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28572/26]

527. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department maintains a central list of autism classes, including their locations and capacity; if she will consider making this information publicly available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28573/26]

528. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of legal actions relating to the provision of education supports that remain live from 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28574/26]

529. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of legal actions relating to the provision of education supports that were brought by parents during 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28575/26]

530. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of legal actions relating to the provision of education supports that were threatened during 2025 but did not proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28576/26]

531. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to a case (details supplied); and if she will instruct her Department to engage with the family on the matter. [28577/26]

532. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a school bus service will be provided for students (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28596/26]

533. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress made on each of the individual Programme for Government commitments assigned to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28655/26]

534. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason schools (details supplied) were not included in the list of DEIS Plus schools; if there is a mechanism for the schools to appeal this exclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28682/26]

535. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number and percentage of parents of preschool children who expressed support for multi-denominational education in the National Parent Survey, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28688/26]

536. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number and percentage of parents of children currently attending multi-denominational schools who expressed support for multi-denominational education in the National Parent Survey, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28689/26]

537. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of submissions received to the National Parent Survey; the number and percentage of those which expressed support for multi-denominational education, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28690/26]

538. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasons the published outcomes of the National Parent Survey focused on the preferences of parents of children attending denominational schools rather than presenting the preferences of all parents surveyed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28692/26]

539. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will publish the full dataset of valid responses from the National Parent Survey, including a breakdown by school type and parental cohort, in order to ensure transparency and maintain public confidence in the consultation process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28693/26]

540. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration was given to designing the newly announced special education classes as broader SEN classes rather than restricting enrolment to autism only; if schools were consulted on this model; if so, whether they actively request these classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28717/26]

541. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if this intended as a pilot initiative, and if so, what are the timelines and evaluation criteria for SEN classes. [28718/26]

542. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the apparent contradiction reconciled between the Minister stating that diagnosis will not be required for primary provision, while simultaneously introducing classes that appear to rely on an autism-specific threshold for access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28719/26]