Parliamentary questions

444. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of STEM teachers in the secondary education system in each of the past ten years; the steps she is taking to increase the number of STEM teachers in line with the STEM Education Implementation Plan to 2026, and beyond, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34277/25]

445. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 388 of 17 June 2025, the position regarding any engagement she has had since January 2025 with school principals of special schools or their representative bodies regarding proposed changes to the allocation of special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34322/25]

446. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has a specific capital support scheme in place to provide financial assistance to schools to maintain and adapt long standing school gymnasia and other sports facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34335/25]

447. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has considered the risks that could be posed to the integrity of the State examinations by allowing students to work on their additional assessment components outside of the supervised school environment with access to third parties and artificial intelligence; and the steps her Department is planning to t…

448. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasons for the redesignation of all mild general learning disability schools as complex needs schools; if she will pause redesignations pending consultation and a review involving parents and teachers; if she will ensure that those pupils in existing mild general learning disabilities schools will have the specialist suppor…

449. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a school project (details supplied); if this project can be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34364/25]

450. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth how many schools, and school names, have applied for alternative/modular accommodation for the coming academic year; how many have been put in place thus far; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34367/25]

451. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline why a school (details supplied) has reduced the allocation of teaching resources for the academic year 2025-26; if she is aware that class sizes for students entering first class this September will be at a ratio of 36:1 and 35:1; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34371/25]

452. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a status update on the safety assessment completed at school (details supplied) and a timeframe on the new building for the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34372/25]

453. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration is being given to an added allowance for school principals for leading and managing non-teaching staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34373/25]

454. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration is being given for an added allowance to be paid to principals and teachers working in special schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34374/25]

455. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number and names of single teacher schools in County Clare in each of the years 2019 to 2025, in tabular form; the current teacher/pupil ratio in 2025 in these schools in County Clare; her plans to close any of them; if so, the location of the schools and number of pupils in them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. …

456. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown of resources provided to schools in north Kildare to accommodate children with mild general learning disabilities in mainstream schools; the number of children in those classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34443/25]

457. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm that she has received a letter from the principal and the chairperson of the board of management of a school (details supplied), outlining the vital need for a new school campus on the green field site they have secured for the purpose, at no cost to the State; and if she will accept their invitation to visit t…

458. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth the role her Department has in ensuring the quality and curriculum integrity of schoolbooks sold to schools; if she will ensure that these books comply with the curriculum and ethos of the Department of Education and Youth. [34492/25]

459. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth when schools that underwent a REPowerEU Energy Inventory Profile Survey as part of the second phase of the REPowerEU Pathfinder Programme will be notified as to whether they will be included in the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34501/25]

460. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 442 of 17 June 2025, to examine the response from the school (details supplied) to her reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34524/25]

461. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on changes to classroom arrangements at a school (details supplied); if she will ensure prefab accommodation is provided so that classes are not forced to share a room. [34528/25]

462. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Youth if he is aware of the planning difficulties currently being experienced by a school (details supplied) in building two special education classrooms; the intervention the department will be making; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35048/25]

271. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth , given that the 1,600 additional SNA staff promised in Budget 2025, bringing the number of SNAs from 22,000 to 23,600, will now amount to approximately 500 fewer than expected, she will provide a breakdown, by county, of the 1,600 extra SNAs that had been promised for each county for September 2025, and the number of SNAs …

272. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the National Council for Special Education accept clinical diagnosing of autism in assessment reports completed by educational psychologists. [33409/25]

273. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the National Council for Special Education accept clinical diagnosing of autism in assessment reports completed by clinical psychologists. [33410/25]

274. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a child (details supplied) in County Kildare will receive a NEPS assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33230/25]

275. Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider applying the refund of fees for PME graduates retrospectively in order that students who graduated prior to 2024 are also eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33239/25]

276. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on when the contract will be awarded for the construction of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33254/25]