Parliamentary questions

183. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will immediately intervene in the case of a child (details supplied) who has been unable to secure an appropriate place in a secondary school for this coming year, despite extensive engagement by the parents with the National Council for Special Education and CDNT teams; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5…

184. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the staffing schedule for primary schools for the 2026/2027 school year to address the inequities in the appointment figures for certain categories of schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54257/25]

185. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth Further to Parliamentary Question No. 436 of 30 September 2025, if new applications or proposals will be accepted where they are made by HEIs who are not currently offering the programme; whether the use of the term ‘area’ in the reply referenced above refers to a “geographical” or ‘subject matter’ area; and if she will make a sta…

186. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of external consultancy contracts entered into by her Department in the past five years, including the original estimated cost, the final cost, and the reasoning for contracting this work rather than using internal resources. [54320/25]

187. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth to complete an assessment of enrolment policies in the secondary schools in Dublin Fingal East; to identify geographical areas in the constituency that are disadvantaged by schools enrolment policies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54330/25]

188. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the situation in a school (details supplied); and if she will commit to funding such repairs either via the ETB or directly from her Department in line with her predecessor's commitment to fully support the current school campus while plans for a new school build are progressing. [54377/25]

189. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the time frame for the construction of the new three school campus in a location (details supplied); and if she is satisfied that the intended construction dates will be met. [54378/25]

190. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that the size of the available land on a site for the new three school campus in a location (details supplied) is likely to be reduced in size in order to facilitate required roads infrastructure; and if adjacent lands, identified by the school, can be purchased in order to provide adequate school space, i…

191. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm if any staff devices (laptops, phones, USBs) containing departmental information or sensitive data were reported lost or stolen in the past five years; the number of devices reported; the data risk involved; and the associated cost of mitigation. [54380/25]

192. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth to detail the instances in which software or IT systems procured by her Department or agencies were later deemed unfit for purpose; and the costs of replacement or remediation. [54390/25]

193. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the fact that in the 2025/2026 SNA Review Guidelines the application window for school led reviews is limited to 15 September to 24 October and excludes mid-year needs, if the Government will look to extend school led reviews; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54407/25]

194. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the fact that in the 2025/2026 SNA Review Guidelines, SNA allocations are now unified across mainstream and special classes, this will lead to less support for children in mainstream if SNAs are reallocated; if she will instruct her Department to investigate this matter and ensure children have the support they n…

195. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the fact that several groups have expressed concerns regarding 2025/2026 SNA Review Guidelines, if she will instruct her Department to suspend the guidelines until proper consultation with schools, SNA’s and parents can occur. [54409/25]

196. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason parents are required to pay for swimming lessons, pool hire, and transport costs associated with swimming, despite swimming being part of the primary school physical education curriculum; if she will clarify whether schools receive any ring-fenced funding from her Department to deliver this part of the curriculum; and if…

197. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 570 of 17 September 2025, if her attention has been drawn to the net shortfall in ancillary grant funding experienced by a school (details supplied); the actions she will take to address this shortfall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54427/25]

198. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a project will proceed to the next stage (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54468/25]

199. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that the current role of SNA is not diminished in any way and that the behavioural, emotional and sensory needs of the child will remain explicitly recognised in SNA support; if a more flexible rolling review process will be provided so children’s changing needs can be supported in real time; if she will ensu…

200. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the case of a child (details supplied); the way in which the SNA guidelines will affect children with additional needs; and if she will commit to ensuring that the cases such as these have all necessary supports. [54518/25]

201. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures currently in place to ensure compliance with the right of children to opt out of religious instruction, and that suitable alternative educational activities are provided in such cases; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54537/25]

202. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 456 and 457 of 17 September 2025, in which she stated that her Department publishes procurement-related payment reports in PDF format ‘to avoid potential manipulation of the data contained in such reports’, if she is aware that this practice has led to instances in which supplier names are tr…

195. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will seek to urgently end the Industrial and Reformatory School Survivors hunger strike by immediately awarding a Health (Amendment) Act (HAA) card, to all survivors, as they deserve access to comprehensive healthcare to deal with the lasting effects of these institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. […

196. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps and stages in a building project for a school, whether it is an extension or a new building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53968/25]

197. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to review the NCSE policy requiring exclusive clinical wording for access to autism classes, in cases where a clinician recommends placement, given concerns that this may prevent children from receiving appropriate supports based on professional advice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53980/25]

198. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the national educational psychological service withdrew a dedicated psychologist from two primary schools (detailed supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54012/25]

199. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the national educational psychological service psychologist hours previously allocated to two primary schools (details supplied) were redeployed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54013/25]