Parliamentary questions

553. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special classes launched in Dublin 15 in 2026 at secondary school level, broken down per school; the number of places made available to students already enrolled in the school; the number of places made available externally, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39016/26]

554. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special classes launched in Dublin 15 in 2024 at primary school level, broken down per school; the number of places made available to students already enrolled in the school; the number of places made available externally, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39017/26]

555. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special classes launched in Dublin 15 in 2024 at secondary school level, broken down per school; the number of places made available to students already enrolled in the school; the number of places made available externally, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39018/26]

556. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an applicant’s (details supplied) forms under the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025 which were submitted in March 2026, have been received and processed; when they can expect further correspondence on the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39033/26]

557. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth when an applicant (details supplied) will receive their specific medical card under the Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Act 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39034/26]

558. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will report on the teacher allocation for a school (details supplied) for the upcoming year; the reason this decision was made; if the reduction in teacher numbers can be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39035/26]

559. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to address the shortage of primary school places in a school (details supplied); the measures that are available to support families who cannot access a local school place for their children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39067/26]

560. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place to promote financial literacy in Irish schools. [39122/26]

561. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to Ukrainian school children due to sit Junior Certificate exams in June (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39327/26]

562. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of a special class (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39427/26]

563. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the situation regarding the provision of spaces in school for children with Down syndrome; if they are included in the configuration for special classes or are they included in mainstream classes or can they go on an inclusive basis between the special class and the mainstream; and if she will make a statement on the ma…

564. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the situation regarding the provision of spaces in school for children with visual impairment, if they are included in the configuration for special classes; if not, if they are included in mainstream classes or can they go on an inclusive basis between the special class and the mainstream; and if she will make a statem…

565. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria her Department used to identify schools for inclusion in the Pilot Scheme for Home School Community Liaison (HSCL); the reason that in urban areas such as Shannon, County Clare some schools were included in the pilot scheme whereas others, with an identical demographic of pupils in their catchment, were excluded; if t…

566. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the ongoing inequality of access to education for children living on Inishbofin island; if her Department will review the current transport arrangements and education supports for island children and ensure they provide genuine equality of access in practice; if she will ensure that existing s…

567. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department accepts that the Newcastle/Rathcoole/Saggart/Citywest area is experiencing significant pressure on school place capacity; if she will outline how a projected post-primary demand deficit of 691 places by 2028, as identified in records released under FOI Ref. DES-FOI-2026-0107, will be addressed in circums…

568. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to ensure that summer provision is available to students with additional needs in schools where the programme has not operated in recent years; and the obligations that apply to schools in this regard. [39488/26]

569. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the specific training required for post-primary teachers supporting students with additional educational needs; if additional training is being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39489/26]

570. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if guidance is available to schools where parents privately engage occupational therapists to support a child’s learning needs; and if schools can access HSE or NCSE supported OT input directly. [39490/26]

571. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total amount of public expenditure incurred in each of the years 2019 to 2025; the allocation or projected expenditure for 2026, in supporting the governance of recognised post-primary schools; for the purposes of the reply, to include all Departmental, agency, ETB, school-level and Department-funded third-party expenditure that…

572. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount of funding provided in each year from 2019 to 2025, and projected for 2026, to the financial support services unit or any equivalent body for post-primary school financial governance, board financial oversight, finance sub-committee support, school-accounting compliance, audit/accountancy guidance, chart-of-accounts suppo…

573. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth based on annual accounts, FSSU returns, ETB accounts or any other financial data available to her Department, the aggregate amount spent by recognised post-primary schools in each year from 2019 to 2025 on governance-related items, including board expenses, travel and subsistence, audit and accountancy, legal and professional fees, …

574. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount of expenditure incurred by Education and Training Boards in each year from 2019 to 2025, and projected for 2026, in supporting the governance of ETB post-primary schools, including board of management administration, induction, training, policy support, compliance, appeals, legal advice, secretarial support, meeting admin…

575. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth her position on the increasing practice in post-primary schools of requiring students to purchase a personal laptop as part of their education; if such a requirement is mandated, recommended, or optional under Department policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39515/26]

576. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any element of the junior certificate cycle or leaving certificate curriculum requires students to have access to a personal laptop outside of school; if project work associated with the revised senior cycle programmes can be fully completed using existing school information technology facilities; and if she will clarify her De…

577. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on schools including schools participating in DEIS requiring families to purchase high-cost digital devices. [39517/26]