Parliamentary questions

71. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to support children impacted by the closures of early intervention classes. [45976/26]

72. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of early intervention classes over the past five years; the number that have closed in the past twelve months; the number that remain open for the upcoming academic year 2026/2027, in tabular form. [45977/26]

73. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific measures that are being taken to ensure that adequate educational, medical, therapeutic, and disability supports are provided for children with complex needs upon their admission to primary schools (details supplied). [45993/26]

74. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the review that has been or will be undertaken by her Department or the State Examinations Commission into the difficulty, structure and fairness of the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics papers 1 and 2; if any adjustments to marking schemes or grading processes are being considered in light of concerns raised by st…

75. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of early intervention classes for autistic children in each county in each school year from 2020-2021 to 2026-2027, broken down by mainstream school and special school; and the net increase or decrease in each county over that period, in tabular form. [45998/26]

76. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of early intervention classes for autistic children that have been redesignated, repurposed or converted into primary autism classes for the 2026-2027 school year; the school and county in each case; who initiated the change; and whether replacement early intervention provision has been opened in the same local area, in t…

77. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria used by her Department and the NCSE when deciding whether an early intervention class for autistic children should be retained, closed, redesignated or converted into a primary autism class; whether those criteria are published; and whether schools are being asked or encouraged to convert early intervention classes to m…

78. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether it remains Government policy to provide early intervention class placements for autistic children aged three to five; if so, the way in which she reconciles that policy with the reduction in early intervention classes for the 2026-2027 school year; and whether her Department or the NCSE is planning any further reduction, red…

79. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a deputy principal will be considered for an increase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46053/26]

80. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a person (details supplied) will be prioritised for a place in the autism hub of a school (details supplied). [46056/26]

81. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth the areas in which there is a demand for the provision of Irish medium education from the findings of the primary schools survey; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46088/26]

82. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding progress of a new school building (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46112/26]

83. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a person who has worked as a special needs assistant for many years can now contact her Department to enquire about their pension entitlements, given that the previously available dedicated pension phone line has been discontinued; the reason this phone line was removed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. …

84. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount the transition year grant was per pupil in the 2024-2025 academic year, the 2025-2026 academic year; the total spend in each year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46120/26]

85. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 19 of 23 April 2026, the progress made to date by her Department in ensuring the use of a green area by schools (details supplied); if she expects this green area to be made accessible to students in time for the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year; and if she will make a statement on the m…

86. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider amending the eligibility criteria for primary school teachers to access the supplementary panel, to allow teachers with maternity contracts to qualify, as well as teachers who have over three years teaching experience but do not hold a fixed term/ qualifying contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [461…

87. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider expanding types of contracts listed as ‘qualifying contract’ that primary school teachers must hold in order to qualify for the supplementary panel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46131/26]

88. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has plans to recognise the invaluable experiences of young Irish teachers teaching abroad when it comes to their experience on incremental salaries pay scale, particularly post primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46135/26]

89. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth the process in which her Department distinguishes between experience gained in public schools and private international schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46136/26]

90. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to entice more Irish teachers abroad who want to come home; if she will consider recognising their teaching experience abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46137/26]

91. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of an application by a school (details supplied) under the emergency works scheme; when decisions will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46143/26]

92. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether temporary supports could be given to a school due to a reduction in enrolments and student numbers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46145/26]

93. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 233 of 17 December 2025, if she can provide an update on progress of the taskforce set to implement the Government’s commitment to ‘expand opportunities for students to attend Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí’, as set out in the Programme for Government 2025; to outline any plan given by th…

94. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the teacher allocation for a school (details supplied); if the decision to reduce their allocation can be appealed; if so, to outline the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46208/26]

95. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update regarding the proposed building extension for a school (details supplied). [46222/26]