Parliamentary questions

254. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the major building project for a primary school (details supplied); if the project is included in the next tranche of projects due to progress to construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7023/26]

255. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the north-west counties of Sligo, Leitrim, Donegal, Mayo, Roscommon and Cavan have been excluded in the current NCSE recruitment drive for senior and staff grade occupational therapists and speech and language therapists for the National Educational Therapy Service in special schools with the plan for it to be extended …

256. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on school building works (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7070/26]

257. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether there is a set retirement age for school bus escorts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7089/26]

258. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide updates on school building projects (details supplied). [7090/26]

259. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the policy of her Department in relation to the eligibility of children to access autism special classes, in particular where a child has completed the assessment process over a prolonged period and has been diagnosed as being eligible for an autism special class but missed the NCSE portal closing date of the 1 October and where …

260. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1265 of 13 January 2026, the reason the tendering process for this school has not been released; her Department's plans to support the school with regard to the deadline imposed on their current site; to detail the communication her Department has made with the school in relation to this issue…

261. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of cases where a child with clear and emerging autism related needs is unable to access an available and fully resourced autism special class placement in their existing school solely due to the operation of rigid notification deadlines under a circular (details supplied), including the requirement to notify the …

262. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeline for two schools to occupy or change their current location (details supplied); if it is also planned for an as yet un-established primary school to be located at this site; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7183/26]

263. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has commenced any preparatory work to ensure that school secretaries and caretakers will be in a position to be paid pension entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7195/26]

264. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children nationally which are at risk of losing an existing special school placement each year due to ineligibility under the current additional-year criteria; the safeguards which exist to prevent inappropriate displacement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7219/26]

265. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to review the current criteria governing eligibility for an additional year in special schools; her views that the criteria is too restrictive in certain cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7220/26]

266. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current level of oversubscription for special school places nationally and in Dublin; the number of applications which were received for the 2026-2027 school year to date; the measures which are being taken to increase capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7221/26]

267. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average processing time for exemption or appeal requests relating to special school placements; whether expedited procedures exist where a child faces immediate loss of a placement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7222/26]

268. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 470 of 16 December 2025, the precise role and responsibilities that have been transferred from her Department to the Le Chéile trust as communicated in the response “devolved for delivery to Le Cheile”. [7234/26]

269. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a budgetary allocation has been given to Le Chéile for the construction of the new school building (details supplied) given that the project has been “devolved for delivery to Le Chéile”. [7235/26]

270. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth the expected timeline detailing when stage 2B will be completed and all remaining stages in respect the new school building for a school (detail supplied). [7236/26]

271. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth in view of the urgent need to progress, without further delay, the proposed building project for a school (details supplied) and taking into account the Departments recent request to the board of management, if she will confirm that her Department will approve a building with split levels when there are SEN pupils in the school a…

272. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions she is taking to tackle absenteeism in the education system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7292/26]

273. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the results of the primary school survey will be published. [7319/26]

42. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the case of an autistic child (details supplied) for whom a school place is not available in September 2026 despite many efforts will be examined; if steps will be taken to ensure this child is provided with a school place this year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6676/26]

43. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding projects (details supplied). [6901/26]

44. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the case of a young child without a special school place (details supplied); the action she will take to ensure that this child is supported; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6651/26]

45. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Education and Youth when her Department was made aware as per a recent news report (details supplied) that a ‘very small handful of children in Dublin’ are without places in a special class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6666/26]

46. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures being undertaken by her Department to ensure that children who have received rejection letters for a special school place will be accommodated as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6667/26]