Parliamentary questions

259. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be given permission to establish a special class within their school to support children with additional learning needs in their community. [62359/25]

260. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether there are plans to review the decision to disallow over 70s from driving school buses, as this is placing significant strain on school bus operators who have contracts with Bus Éireann;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62379/25]

261. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has an official policy on the use of sensory or quiet rooms in schools for students with autism; whether schools are permitted to limit the use of such facilities to a set number of classes per day; and if her Department has an official policy or recommended usage time per student per day for such facilities. [62…

262. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to support schools in the southwest inner city with mental health supports similar to the programme in the northeast inner city. [62403/25]

263. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the resources which will be needed to expand counselling and primary schools pilot programme for strand one and two. [62404/25]

264. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to ensure all schools in Dublin south central are prepared and equipped for leaving cert reform especially, in STEM subjects. [62405/25]

265. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the appeal to retain a teacher at a school in County Cork (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62433/25]

266. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of cases of intimate image abuse that have been reported by schools to her Department since the enactment of Coco's law; if any of these involved deepfakes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62441/25]

267. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students who availed of July special provision during Summer 2025; the requirements to qualify; if there are plans to expand the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62442/25]

268. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the subject areas that are currently identified where there are staff shortages at second level; the measures in place to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62443/25]

269. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the Department's plans to make school sports facilities more available to the wider community. [62444/25]

270. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if classes can be sanctioned for autistic children for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62451/25]

271. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth her intention to provide a written agreement to the survivors of industrial schools, and a definitive timeline for when their demands will be met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62452/25]

272. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the provisions which have been made to ensure that agencies, organisations and charities funded by her Department will meet their obligations under the new AE scheme. [62467/25]

273. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a breakdown of every agency, not-for-profit organisation, charity or service provider directly funded by her Department; and the details of each specific directly funded post in each body, in tabular form. [62472/25]

274. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of deaf children and deaf parents currently known to Tusla; the measures in place to ensure they receive accessible, culturally informed support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62485/25]

275. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 816 of 4 November 2025, the number of schools who have mechanical ventilation heat recovery systems installed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62488/25]

276. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will report on the use of a standardised marking distribution also known as a bell curve for Irish as is used in English and maths standardised tests. [62490/25]

277. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a new primary school for Carrigaline, County Cork (details supplied); the stage this project is currently at; the remaining stages; and estimated timeline for construction.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62512/25]

278. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth when the Stage 1 review meeting will be held for the development of a new school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62521/25]

279. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will sanction additional autism classes at a school (details supplied); if she will engage with the NCSE to increase the provision of autism classes and supports in the wider north Dublin area to match the increasing demands due to a growing large young population; if she will accept the request of a meeting with the sch…

280. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Education and Youth the results of recruitment campaigns by the Health Service Executive and National Council for Special Education for healthcare professional roles (details supplied), in tabular form. [62589/25]

281. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth the proposals to amend and improve the criteria for the establishment of school transport to primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62611/25]

282. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place to support schools in transitioning to using renewable sources of energy. [62618/25]

283. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the introduction of drama, film, and theatre studies as a second level school subject; if additional resources have been made available to participating schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62619/25]