Parliamentary questions

429. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is aware of changes to Cork city youth clubs to amalgamate services into a hub; and whether she will outline the impacts of this. [62827/25]

430. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of optional language subjects currently on the Leaving Certificate curriculum; the number of these which are taken as non-curricular; the number which are examinable under the Leaving Certificate; and her plans to include other languages such as Romanian to the curriculum. [62847/25]

431. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if additional resourcing, financial and staffing, will be allocated to ensure that inclusive education measures are implemented within defined timelines under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. [62884/25]

432. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth when an additional special class will be sanctioned at a school (details supplied); and if this sanction will be expedited given the school has identified the need for an additional special class. [62885/25]

433. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school (details supplied) has been unsuccessful in securing additional SNA allocation; if she will ensure that this decision is reviewed with a view to increasing the SNA allocation as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62899/25]

434. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the application from a school (details supplied) for emergency special classroom sanction considering the urgent need for a dedicated special classroom; if she will ensure approval for this request so that the additional classroom will be operational for the 2026-2027 academic year, or sooner; and if she will make a s…

435. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of Church of Ireland schools in the diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh; the number therein that currently have a special classroom; the number therein that have applied for a special classroom; if there are proposals to grant any remaining Church of Ireland schools in the same diocese a special classroom for 2026; and…

436. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm whether additional resourcing, financial and staffing will be allocated to ensure that inclusive education measures are implemented within defined timelines under the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People. [62912/25]

437. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 626 of 14 November 2025, the correspondence her Department has had with DDLETB on the best way to support the young people in the Citywest and Saggart area; if the youth affairs unit has met with DDLETB on same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62954/25]

438. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 626 of 14 November 2025, if she will reconsider the UBU application that has been resubmitted to her officials in respect of the proposal for a new service in the Citywest, Saggart and Rathcoole area in light of the recent events; if Budget 2026 will ensure this service is delivered; and if she w…

439. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an additional SNA will be provided to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62963/25]

440. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to examine the case of a person (details supplied) who is due to start senior cycle in a special school but is due to turn 18 this year and will be unable to finish senior cycle in that school; if an allowance can be made for this student to remain in the school. [62964/25]

441. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on a proposed school building project (details supplied), which was initially granted approval in February 2020 under the additional school accommodation scheme, and for which a revised Stage 2(a) submission was completed and submitted in June 2025; the current status of the project, the expected next…

442. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will support the opening of an additional ASD class at a school (details supplied). [62999/25]

443. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to assist a school (details supplied) in County Kerry in the purchase of additional autism equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63003/25]

444. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of vacancies which arose at principal officer level for the years 2022, 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 in her Department and agencies under the aegis of her Department; the number of these vacancies filled between internal and external methods; the number of vacancies each year at principal officer level filled by mobi…

445. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the delivery of a new school building for a school (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63038/25]

446. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for the delay in the building works for a new ASD classroom (details supplied); if she will engage as a matter of urgency with the school and her Department to ensure the building works are completed as quickly as possible; the provision being made to ensure the children who were due to be in the ASD class in Septemb…

447. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration will be given to extending a bus service to include an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63080/25]

448. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the timeframe for the implementation of the new DEIS Plus Programme; and if she will ensure that DEIS Plus funding and resources will be made available to participating schools before the end of the 2025-2026 school year to allow for advance planning, staffing, and resource allocation. [63084/25]

449. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if all DEIS Plus funding will be directed primarily to schools, rather than intermediary agencies, to ensure that resources go directly to children and classroom supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63085/25]

450. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department will commit to giving schools autonomy in the way in which DEIS Plus resources are used locally, given the ability of school leaders and boards of management to best assess their own pupils’ needs. [63086/25]

451. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if multidisciplinary teams including counsellors, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists and educational psychologists will form part of the DEIS Plus supports available within schools. [63087/25]

452. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if DEIS Plus will include specific supports for trauma-informed education, including funding for nurture rooms, wellbeing spaces, and additional staffing to support children impacted by disadvantage and trauma. [63088/25]

453. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department will coordinate the work of DEIS Plus schools with agencies such as Tusla, TESS, NEPS, the NCSE and the School Completion Programme, while ensuring that DEIS Plus funding remains school and pupil centred. [63089/25]