Parliamentary questions

303. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has consulted medical authorities, such as the Medical Council of Ireland or the HSE's clinical programmes, and legal authorities, such as the Attorney General's Office, when framing definitions or guidance relating to the terms 'man', 'woman', 'male' and 'female' for use in curriculum development or school polici…

304. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department and the National Council for Special Education will urgently review the allocation of SNA support for a school (details supplied); and provide greater transparency on the way in which allocations are determined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52868/25]

305. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider acquiring a site at a location (details supplied) with appropriate zoning which will facilitate use by two schools in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52902/25]

306. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the acquisition of land and the plans to relocate a school (details supplied); to provide a timeline for the delivery of this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52903/25]

307. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the extension works in a school (details supplied); to confirm if a tender was issued by the end of Q1 2025 as planned; if the target of having the facility ready for the school's September 2026 intake is still achievable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52905/25]

58. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which her Department ensures that students in rural or disadvantaged areas have equal access to mental health supports in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52474/25]

59. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will abandon the new NCSE guidelines for the review of SNA allocations for the 2025/2026 school year and re-engage with school communities to ensure that review guidelines do not risk reducing supports for children with additional educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52167/25]

60. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will commit to a detailed review and immediate suspension of the introduction of the 2025/2026 SNA review guidelines; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52169/25]

61. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will facilitate consultations with school communities over the 2025/2026 SNA review guidelines before they are implemented nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52170/25]

62. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason the National Council for Special Education has issued substantially altered SNA review guidance ahead of the release of the new circular with increased demands on schools and a tight timeframe at the start of the school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52171/25]

63. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth in view of the 2025/2026 SNA Review Guidelines, regarding behaviours of concern (details supplied), if the emphasis in the new guidance on complex mental health needs, is meant to deny the right level of support to children and young people with severe communication or social emotional mental health needs; if so, who this will benef…

64. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the case of a PME student (details supplied) who completed all required course work and school placements in 2024, but whose formal award was not issued until early 2025; if such cases can be deemed eligible for the PME refund scheme for 2024, given that the requirements were fully completed within that year; and …

65. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a response will issue to correspondence regarding an application for special needs school transport for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52217/25]

66. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth to examine the case of a school (details supplied) who lost a teacher due to student numbers in 2024 and risk doing so again in 2026, if the current rules on student numbers to teacher places are applied; if she agrees that this runs contrary to government commitments to reduce the pupil teacher ratio and target large class sizes; he…

67. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update regarding the Gaelcholáiste for Dublin south city; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52286/25]

68. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she or the NCSE are currently carrying out a review of SNA allocations; the reason for the review; and the timeframes involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52294/25]

69. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her view on the Constitutional guarantee that parents shall be primary educators of their children; to elaborate on how her Department is working to vindicate that right; the reason she made no mention of parents in her comments launching a new education consultation process in July 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matt…

70. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify the statement contained in the forward to the ‘Aistear’ curriculum published in December 2024 that "babies, toddlers and young children around the country" had "offered their views and insights" on the development of the curriculum; to state the number of babies that contributed to this process; how the opinions of these …

71. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the expansion of a school (details supplied). [52331/25]

72. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the academic performance of home-schooled students is benchmarked against all other students, including in relation to junior certificate and leaving certificate results; to summarise the most recent data available in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52354/25]

73. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the beginning of the new school year is governed in legislation; whether the issue is governed solely by guidelines issued by her Department; to give a summary of these guidelines for primary and secondary level schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52355/25]

74. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the progress of a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52465/25]

75. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the training and resources provided to teachers and school staff to identify and support students experiencing mental health difficulties; if there are plans to expand these supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52472/25]

76. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is a standard protocol for schools to follow when a student presents with mental health concerns; the way in which her Department monitors compliance with these protocols; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52473/25]

77. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place to support students transitioning from primary to post-primary school in terms of mental health and well-being; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52475/25]