Questions

220. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the case of a school (details supplied) in which classes will be merged due to the school not meeting the threshold to retain staff which will result in a class of around 34 students in the next academic year, creating an extremely high student to teacher ratio; if she will request her Department to address this issue; and if she wi…

221. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to urgently address the disparity faced by school secretaries and caretakers, who are directly paid by her Department but who are being denied a pension (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26527/25]

222. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the proposed extension for a school (details supplied); the current stage of the project; the expected timeline for progress and delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26539/25]

223. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of the proposed services (details supplied); the progress made to date; the expected timeline for delivery; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26540/25]

224. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of staff in her Department working from home for at least two days per week, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26550/25]

225. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a detailed breakdown, of student absenteeism rates for each of the past five academic years (2018/2019 to 2022/2023), specifying the number and percentage of primary and post-primary students who missed 20 or more days of school, disaggregated by county and Dáil electoral area, in tabular form. [26565/25]

226. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific measures her Department is taking to address the significant and rising levels of student absenteeism across primary and post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26566/25]

227. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth in light of the State’s obligations under the Constitution and under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, how the Department justifies the continued lack of access to a school place for a child with a disability, where over 180 public schools have been contacted without success, and no public school place has been p…

228. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a school (details supplied) will be opening an ASD class in the 2025-2026 academic year; if not, if the school will be opening one for the 2026-2027 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26570/25]

229. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth to examine the case for the retention for a further year of a teacher at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26574/25]

230. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the version of software programmes (details supplied) used by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26593/25]

231. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has full access and use of a software programme (details supplied); if not, the alternative provider being used and the version of that provider; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26611/25]

232. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the cloud services currently being used by her Department, by name and version; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26629/25]

233. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department currently uses a software programme (details supplied); if so, the version of the programme that is used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26647/25]

234. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department currently uses a commercial internet service provider; the name of the provider; the value of the contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26665/25]

235. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there is a way to volunteer SME expertise to her Department's AI for schools development; and if so, the contact details for the persons working on AI literacy, sustainability and ethics for schools. [26680/25]

236. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will reconsider awarding incremental credits to a special needs assistant who has been employed in local authority-owned facilities which were managed by a private company (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26684/25]

47. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to grant full public sector status to all school secretaries and caretakers; if so, the timeline for extending access to public service pay scales, pensions, and employment protections to these staff, who work alongside teachers and SNAs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26297/25]

48. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 566 of 22 January 2024, if the high-level group has reported on the proposed terms of reference; and if so, and when they will be published. [26100/25]

49. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current qualification requirements for teachers assigned to special classes or special education units, including autism classes, in primary and post-primary schools; if it is a requirement that such teachers hold a postgraduate qualification in special educational needs; if not, the reason; and if her Department, in consultation with the National …

50. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are immediate plans to provide a “special class” in either of the primary schools in Moate, County Westmeath (details supplied). [26146/25]

51. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher den Aire Oideachais agus Óige cad é an próiseas lenar féidir le Bunscoileanna páirt a ghlacadh i Scéim Aitheantais na Scoileanna Gaeltachta, agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [26163/25]

52. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of transfer of lands from the HSE to the Department of Education for a school (details supplied); if further efforts will be made to proceed with this transfer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26179/25]

53. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the classification of secretaries and caretakers as public sector workers. [26181/25]

54. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the Department are currently developing plans to amalgamate two schools (details supplied) onto a greenfield site which can cater for current and future demand, as Westmeath County Council have identified a suitable site in the current county development Plan. [26192/25]