Questions

256. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the requirement for primary school teachers to complete Croke Park hours is under review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66375/26]

257. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the requirement for primary school teachers to complete Croke Park hours; if this is set out as a requirement in their contracts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [66373/26]

258. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific funding streams available through her Department for national schools that wish to develop or upgrade outdoor facilities within their schools to encourage play, exercise and mobility. [66398/26]

259. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on a matter (details supplied). [66404/26]

260. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will review the requirement under the school transport scheme that pupils must attend their nearest school, having regard to ethos and language, to qualify for transport; whether she accepts that this can significantly restrict parental choice of school, particularly where concessionary places are unavailable due to capacity constraints…

261. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of post-primary teacher vacancies identified in each county in the 2025/2026 and 2026/2027 school years, by subject; the number of positions remaining unfilled following an initial recruitment process; the number being filled by a teacher who does not hold the relevant subject qualification; and the number of subjects which schools have repo…

262. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on concerns raised by parents regarding the Leaving Certificate scheduling which resulted in maths paper 2 and Irish paper 1 being held on the same day; whether she acknowledges that both Irish and maths are difficult for many students and would be best held separately and on their own; and whether she will examine this in advance of the sched…

263. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify when the construction phase will commence for the Cork Educate Together Secondary School at Douglas Co. Cork. [66487/26]

264. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will clarify whether an existing permanent AP1 teacher must permanently relinquish their substantive, secure AP1 position to take up the new senior cycle redevelopment role, given that the availability of the new post is contingent on fluctuating school enrolment numbers and subject to a stated review in 2031. [66461/26]

265. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will clarify the position under Circular Letter 0037/2026 regarding the new senior cycle redevelopment co-ordinator posts of responsibility; specifically, the status of an existing permanent Assistant Principal I (AP1) post holder who successfully applies for and is appointed to this newly created position. [66460/26]

266. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has assessed the average salary differential experienced by a post-primary teacher returning to Ireland whose verified teaching service in a private school outside the European Union is not recognised for incremental credit compared with a teacher with an equivalent number of years of recognised teaching service, to provide illust…

267. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to research (details supplied) if her Department has estimated the number of these teachers who have accumulated teaching experience abroad who would not currently qualify for any degree for incremental salary credit on returning to teach in Ireland; if figures can be split between primary and post-primary teachers, country of residence and…

268. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will consider providing funding to assist in the completion of centre (details supplied). [66530/26]

269. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to maximise participation in the Summer Programme 2027; and to ensure that the highest possible number of students can avail of it. [66533/26]

270. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Oideachais agus Óige [66419/26]

271. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Oideachais agus Óige [66418/26]

272. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale of the 30 September date for pupil enrolments in determining teacher allocations for schools; if the date will be reviewed, given enrolment of pupils does not cease on that date, and given the consequences of decreased allocations for schools such as amalgamated classes of over 30 pupils. [66600/26]

273. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated number of teachers currently participating in job-sharing arrangements at primary and post-primary level; and the number who availed of substitute teaching opportunities on their non-teaching days in each of the past three school years. [66596/26]

274. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has considered permitting job-sharing teachers to undertake substitute teaching within their own school on non-teaching days, particularly where this would provide continuity for pupils and assist schools experiencing teacher shortage. [66595/26]

275. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether job-sharing teachers were permitted to undertake substitute teaching on their non-teaching days under arrangements that applied in previous school years; if so, the years during which such arrangements applied; and the reasons these arrangements may not been continued for the 2026/2027 school year. [66594/26]

276. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current position regarding job-sharing primary and post-primary teachers undertaking substitute teaching on their non-teaching days during the 2026/2027 school year. [66593/26]

277. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which a parent can access the school transport scheme for children with special educational needs; and to make a statement on the matter. [66713/26]

278. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth given the increased demand for special classes, if her Department has plans to designate a special class for children with Autism in a school (details supplied); and her plans to increase the number of special classes in primary schools in Fingal East. [66711/26]

279. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the proposed redevelopment of (details supplied); the current status of the project; the next steps required to advance the development; the anticipated timeline for progression to the next stage. [66679/26]

280. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department permits State-funded primary schools to outsource mandatory school-day curriculum delivery to private contractors at direct cost to parents; and the mechanisms her Department is putting in place to enforce existing regulations against coercive fee invoicing for school-day activities. [66644/26]