Questions

528. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on whether the integration of RSE instruction across a range of school subjects (details supplied) goes against the principle of allowing parents to withdraw their children from instruction that goes against their personal beliefs. [74160/26]

529. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the mechanisms in place to allow for parents to opt out of RSE education at primary school level in similar ways that parents are permitted to opt of religious education. [74159/26]

288. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which she will ensure that the recommendations in assessment reports for neurodivergent pupils submitted to schools are implemented; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [71632/26]

300. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeline for her Department to begin preparations for the next edition of the governance manual for primary schools; and the format of input parents and guardians can factor into the development of same. [71579/26]

303. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to detail the level of oversight her Department has over patron bodies; and the actions her Department can take if a school is not compliant with the Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2023-2027. [71580/26]

304. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth If her Department will review the current conditions pertaining to illness leave for school secretaries employed through her Department. [71616/26]

306. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the review of the formal recognition of QQI level 6 qualification for special needs assistants relative to their pay scale and conditions. [71611/26]

307. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will consider introducing interim measures, pending the enactment of the Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026, to ensure that all schools have clear medical emergency protocols, appropriately trained personnel and the necessary safeguards to respond effectively to life-threatening medical incidents. [71651/26]

308. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to address the absence of a comprehensive statutory framework requiring schools to implement standardised medical emergency policies, ensure appropriate access to emergency medication and provide mandatory, regularly updated training for designated school staff. [71650/26]

309. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she acknowledges the significant gaps in medical emergency preparedness across Irish schools, particularly in relation to the recognition and management of life-threatening conditions such as anaphylaxis, epileptic seizures and severe asthma attacks. [71649/26]

310. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the Education (Medical Emergencies in Schools) Bill 2026, introduced by Deputy Eoghan Kenny, including whether the Government intends to support the progression of the Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas and the anticipated timeframe for its consideration at Committee Stage. [71648/26]

317. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions she is taking to increase access to specialist reading classes within children's local communities. [71759/26]

318. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions she is taking to improve the systems in place to ensure that children with dyslexia and other reading challenges are identified at as early an age as possible. [71758/26]

319. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the mechanisms in place to ensure that children with dyslexia and other reading challenges are identified at as early an age as possible. [71756/26]

321. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the proposal by a school (details supplied) to transition from an English-medium school to a Gaelscoil; the outcome of the meeting between Department officials; and the projected timeline for progressing the proposal. [71779/26]

328. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to detail which organisations representing parents are currently being consulted on the complaints procedures being developed under the Education (Student and Parent Charter) Bill 2019; and the way in which her Department will ensure that parents have an independent representative voice in the development of the new complaints procedures. [71896/26]

331. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a principal, board of management or patron of a recognised school has any statutory authority to suspend, dissolve, restrict or prevent a parents’ association established under section 26 of the Education Act 1998 from exercising its functions; if so, to identify the precise statutory provision, regulation or departmental guidance which provid…

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…

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]