Parliamentary questions

423. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports available to teachers experiencing work-related stress and burnout, with reference to the findings of the Dublin City University centre for collaborative research across teacher education research published in April 2025; if her Department intends to expand the employee assistance service or any equivalent suppo…

424. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department collects or intends to collect data on teacher attrition rates within the first five years of qualification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44983/26]

425. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to the survey of school principals published by organisations (details supplied) on 4 March 2026 which found that one fifth of second-level schools were forced to drop at least one subject entirely due to teacher shortages; the number of second-level schools that withdrew or restricted access to a subject in the 2025…

426. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department is taking to address the recruitment of teachers in the subjects identified in a survey by organisations (details supplied) published on 4 March 2026 as most affected by shortages, namely Irish, mathematics and French; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44985/26]

427. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to the finding in survey published on 4 March 2026 (details supplied) that 89% of principals reported using second-year professional master of education students to cover gaps in teaching rosters; if her Department collects data on the number of teaching hours being delivered by student teachers who have not yet qual…

428. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her response to the finding in the OECD's Education at a Glance 2025 Report, published on 9 September 2025, that the average primary school class size in Ireland is 22.2 pupils, above both the EU average of 19 and the OECD average of 21; the targeted measures, as distinct from the general staffing schedule, that she is intro…

429. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to the publication of the OECD's Education at a Glance 2025 Report on 9 September 2025 which found that Ireland's investment in education from primary to tertiary level stood at 2.8 per cent of GDP against an OECD average of 4.7 per cent, the equivalent figure for Ireland when measured against Modified Gross National…

430. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average primary pupil-teacher ratio and the average primary class size for the 2024-2025 school year, as recorded in her Department's most recent educational statistics; the way in which these figures compare with the previous school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44989/26]

431. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to the survey of school principals published by organisations (details supplied) on 4 March 2026 which found that one fifth of second-level schools nationally were forced to drop at least one subject entirely due to teacher shortages, the number of post-primary schools in Cork city and county that withdrew or restric…

432. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of teachers who have resigned from the teaching profession in schools in Cork city and county in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, distinguishing between primary and post-primary level and between resignations and retirements, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. […

433. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average primary class size in Cork city and county for the 2024-2025 school year as recorded in her Department's most recent educational statistics; the number and proportion of primary classes in Cork city and county with 30 or more pupils; the way in which these figures compare with the national average primary class s…

434. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of long-term teaching vacancies currently unfilled in primary and post-primary schools in Cork city and county; the average length of time such posts have remained vacant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44993/26]

435. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for staff cuts for the school summer programme in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44997/26]

436. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will support the appeal for DEIS plus status from a DEIS Band 1 school (details supplied) in Dublin South West; if she is satisfied that her Department's data-driven DEIS plus identification model fully captures the lived reality, complexity and concentration of disadvantage experienced within individual school communities;…

437. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the options available to school (details supplied); if she will consider a meeting with the school principal to discuss same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45012/26]

438. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider amending or extending the bus route for a school (details supplied) to include houses along the L8294, considering the lack of after school facilities for families in the area which leaves them facing difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45016/26]

439. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the transfer of the lands at Magee Barracks, County Kildare to her Department; the expected timeline for its completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45022/26]

440. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated full-year cost of increasing the capitation grant at primary and secondary level by 5%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45051/26]

441. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by 1 point at primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45052/26]

442. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated cost of reducing the pupil teacher ratio by 1 point at second level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45053/26]

443. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number for school places in mainstream primary schools for pupils with special educational needs required for the school year commencing September 2027; the number of additional places beyond those available at present that will be required; the estimated amount it will cost to meet this demand; and if she will make a statement …

444. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of school places in special schools for pupils with special educational needs required for the school year commencing September 2027; the number of additional places beyond those available at present that will be required; the estimated amount it will cost to meet this demand; and if she will make a statement on the matte…

445. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she has been informed of concerns raised by students, parents, teachers or representative bodies regarding the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics paper 1; the quality assurance, review and approval procedures which apply to the setting of State examination papers by the State Examinations Commission; whether …

446. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department or the State Examinations Commission has received representations regarding the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics paper 1; whether she has sought assurances from the State Examinations Commission that any concerns raised will be considered through its established marking, grading and review pr…

447. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the Government has been briefed on concerns expressed regarding the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics paper 1; whether he is satisfied that the current statutory and governance framework applying to the State Examinations Commission provides sufficient transparency, accountability and oversight in relation t…