Parliamentary questions

438. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to accommodate the expansion of schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70074/25]

439. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that there will be urgent provision of laboratory capacity to facilitate secondary school students as a school expands (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70075/25]

440. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the provision she has made for the addition of prefabricated buildings on a school site (details supplied) for the use, on a temporary basis, by another school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70076/25]

441. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70078/25]

442. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the expansion of the JCSP demonstration library project will be included in the new DEIS+ plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70099/25]

443. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a building project for a school (details supplied) will be included on her Departments priority list for full completion across 2026 and 2027; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70101/25]

444. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of applicants for autism classes in Dublin 8, Dublin 12, Dublin 6/6w for 2026 and 2027, in tabular form. [70116/25]

445. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which the demand for autism classes in Dublin 8, Dublin 12, Dublin 6/6w will be met for the academic year 2026-2027. [70117/25]

446. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of existing spaces for autism classes in Dublin 8, Dublin 12, Dublin 6/6w. [70118/25]

447. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the rollout of free solar panels for schools; if private schools are being considered for inclusion under future funding rounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70141/25]

448. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding her plans to ensure that all schools will have solar panels; if there is a timeline for the completion of this target; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70142/25]

449. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of ASD class places available in primary schools in an area (details supplied) for the 2025-2026 academic year; the projected demand for these places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70191/25]

450. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth if priority is given to children residing in an area (details supplied) when allocating ASD class places in that areas primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70192/25]

451. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Department’s plans to ensure continuity of education for children with ASD from primary to secondary level within their local community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70193/25]

452. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average time over the past six years it has taken to produce a stamped final bill in her Department from the time when her Department has received government approval for the general scheme and the heads of a bill; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70270/25]

453. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide a schedule of all funding and grant aid provided by heading and subhead to Kildare, Wicklow and Meath local authorities in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the amount returned and or not expended over the same period. [70306/25]

454. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will publish a single, transparent national dataset (details supplied) on teacher recruitment and retention; and the way in which her Department will respond concretely to evidence from organisations that current measures are failing to reduce vacancies or reliance on unqualified personnel; and if she will make a…

455. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific, costed measure on pay progression, contract security, workload, housing and location supports; if her Department will introduce in the course of this Government to make teaching a viable long-term career and especially in high-cost areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70329/25]

456. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department will provide targeted recruitment and retention incentives and mechanisms to ensure that no school is forced to drop subjects or redeploy special education staff in ways that undermine equity of access for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70330/25]

457. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date that she and her Departmental officials will visit a school site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70331/25]

458. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils enrolled in junior infants in primary schools in County Laois for the school years 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 inclusive, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70332/25]

459. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to give public sector status to all secretaries and caretakers working in schools, to be given access to the same rights, the same certainty of a pension on retirement and salaries as the teachers and SNAs that they work alongside; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70334/25]

460. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the implementation of the ‘Opportunities for Youth: National Strategy for Youth Work and Related Services 2024-2028’; which of the 18 priority actions have been commenced; the budgetary allocation; the way in which youth services are being increased in underserved/rural areas; the way in which young people are being …

461. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department is tracking progress on the more than 100 actions in Education Plan 2025, particularly those involving the Education Therapy Service and strengthening school transport; the benchmarks which are being used; whether there have been delays; the way in which her Department plans to ensure that resource …

462. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department is taking to address the current shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in DEIS, special education, and Gaeltacht schools; the incentives or supports which are under consideration to improve teacher retention; when her Department expects to see a reduction in unfilled teaching positions; and if sh…