Parliamentary questions

959. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a full update on the new school building project for a school (details supplied); and when the tender process for a contractor will commence. [46499/25]

960. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of an application for additional school accommodation made by a school in County Clare (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46505/25]

961. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth if funding is still available for the LMETB headquarters building in Drogheda to commence; the most recent estimated costing available for the project; when it will go to tender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46541/25]

962. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth when her Department plans to directly pay the salaries of school caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46546/25]

963. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who left school without a junior certificate in each of the years between 2019 and 2024, inclusive and as a percentage of total number of students sitting and eligible for the junior certificate, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46561/25]

964. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children who left school with a junior certificate but without a leaving certificate in each of the years between 2019 and 2024 inclusive and as a percentage of total number of students sitting and eligible for the leaving certificate, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46562/25]

965. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the changes to the eligibility criteria for qualification for a contract of indefinite duration for teachers; when these changes will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46576/25]

966. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on matters raised during the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46577/25]

967. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide clarity to parents on a school transport route (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46579/25]

968. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of bus drivers who work under the Bus Éireann scheme who have reached the age of 70 years and have had to retire due to Bus Éireann's policy; the data for the academic school years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46585/25]

969. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of bus drivers who will have to retire for the academic school year 2026-27, 2027-28, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46586/25]

970. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason companies are withdrawing their contracts with Bus Éireann under the school transport scheme; the number that have withdrawn in the academic school years of 2023/2024, 2024/2025, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46587/25]

971. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of companies that applied for the school transport scheme for the 2025-26 academic school year, for each county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46588/25]

972. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the engagement she has had with Marino Institute of Education to bring its Bachelor of Science in Education Studies and its Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education courses under the free fees initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46590/25]

973. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth if school bus routes in Kildare (details supplied) will be going ahead this school term; and if so, the timeline for when these routes will be operational. [46591/25]

974. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the need for additional accommodation at a school (details supplied); if she will report on her engagement with the school community in relation to same; the reason additional prefab accommodation was not provided; and the expected date for handover for the building. [46596/25]

975. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether school bus drivers are provided with passenger lists to ensure that all students on a school bus route are picked up as part of the school transport scheme; if lists are not provided to give the rationale for not providing the lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46627/25]

976. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department is investigating the feasibility of providing digital school transport passes in view of the logistical issues and costs associated with requiring students to have physical bus passes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46628/25]

977. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions her Department has undertaken to enact the recommendations of the school transport review that was published in February 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46629/25]

978. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46648/25]

979. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to give favourable consideration to pension parity, critical illness leave and bereavement leave in respect of school secretaries and caretakers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46649/25]

980. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address the queries raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46650/25]

981. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline her position on the school secretaries dispute; how she intends to resolve this dispute, if she will examine correspondence on the matter as sent to this Deputy (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46651/25]

982. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration will be given to using more small buses for school transport in rural areas where big buses cannot turn corners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46672/25]

983. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps she has taken, and will continue to take, to ensure that non-teaching staff in schools are recognised appropriately and that their rights and entitlements are enhanced to reflect their service to the education system. [46730/25]