Parliamentary questions

112. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the extent of his engagement on the pension claim of school caretakers and secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38946/25]

113. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, following the recent newspaper editorial (details supplied) that claimed "almost all primary schools, for example, had to employ unqualified individuals without teaching qualifications as substitutes in the past year", her Department will recognise early childhood care and education graduates as being a viable workforce for the …

114. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the need to further incentivise teaching through Irish; if additional grants or scholarships could be considered for any prospective teacher pursuing that career; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36978/25]

115. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update in relation to recruitment for the education therapy service; the number of the 90 posts announced by her that have been opened; the number have been filled; the number still vacant at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40017/25]

116. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the terms of recruitment of the 90 therapists being recruited under the Education Therapy Service; the pool from which these therapists will be recruited from; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40019/25]

117. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update in relation to the expansion of the school transport scheme service as set out in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40027/25]

118. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the progress made to date in relation to the carrying out of an independent assessment on the feasibility of removing the exclusion of drivers aged over 70 from the school transport scheme, as set out in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40028/25]

119. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the first- and full-year cost of increasing funding and capitation funding for Traveller supports by 10% up to a maximum of 50% in primary and secondary school respectively. [40030/25]

120. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the first- and full-year cost of increasing funding and capitation funding for Roma and refugee supports by 10% up to a maximum of 50% in primary and secondary schools respectively. [40031/25]

121. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will give detailed consideration to the issues raised by an association (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40045/25]

122. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students on a waiting list for a special school place in County Kerry; the number per each school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40091/25]

123. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children currently on a waiting list with the NCSE for an assessment of needs; the number of children on a waiting list from 2019 to 2025, in tabular form; the average time children spend on a waiting list; the plans to lower the number of children on a waiting list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40092/…

124. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if funding is available for caretaking and facilities management of a new school (details supplied). [40093/25]

125. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify within every special school if every teacher and SNA, respectively has the appropriate qualification; and if not, the number of teachers and SNAs, respectively do not, out of the total number of teaching and SNA staff and if she will make a statement accordingly. [40095/25]

126. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth in the context of the protection of schoolchildren, all school staff, teachers, support staff and caretakers, and their health and safety, if he is aware of serious harms being caused (and escalating) for several years now by high density, breeding gull colonies in many schools around the country; if she has noted the recent ve…

127. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of a request (details supplied) to revoke the S1 form to allow them to revert as a new entrant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40150/25]

128. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will ensure that a project (details supplied) will proceed to the next stage without delay in view of the urgent need to have this much needed accommodation provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40180/25]

432. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status and progress on the LMETB headquarters for Drogheda; the reason for the delay in commencing the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39506/25]

433. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update as of July 2025 on the Programme for Government commitment to support the work of an organisation (details supplied) to make the social innovation space accessible to all young people, create new future pathways and allow our youth to have their voices heard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39536/25]

434. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if he will correspond with a group of survivors of industrial and reformatory schools (details supplied). [38510/25]

435. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures that can be taken to ensure that a school child (details supplied) can receive the full-time SNA assistance they require, in junior infants, in mainstream setting in their local school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38650/25]

436. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the current dire condition of the school building and grounds of a school (details supplied); if she can provide an update on the status of the building and the renovation application for the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38652/25]

437. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline whether a school bus seat will be guaranteed with a concessionary ticket for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38660/25]

438. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special schools that have received the first day of CPI training, to date in 2025, in accordance with the ‘Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations’ guidelines published by the Department of Education in December 2024; the number of special schools that have, received the second day …

439. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the removal of the ‘direct training model’ delivered by CPI to a ‘train the trainers’ model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38667/25]