Parliamentary questions

628. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether consideration is being given to reviewing current rules relating to Irish language exemptions and access to assistive technology supports where diagnoses such as dyslexia or dyspraxia occur after transition to secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40084/26]

629. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a DEIS plus school (details supplied) is set to lose a mainstream teacher on the basis that it had 165 pupils and not 166 on roll for September 2025; if she will review this decision in light of the additional enrolments of two pupils in May 2026 which has brought the total mains…

630. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for limiting the recent extension of the upper age limit for drivers operating under the school transport scheme to certain categories of drivers only; if consideration has been given to extending similar arrangements to drivers working with community and disability transport providers supporting school transport serv…

631. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth given that a one-year extension has been granted to the new Leaving Certificate English specification at the request of the State Examinations Commission, if she will consider an extension to Irish, given that according to experts and many Irish language and educational groups a two-year extension would allow full CEFR alignment…

632. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she supports full CEFR alignment for the Irish curricula in primary and secondary education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40137/26]

633. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth given that 20% of those sitting the junior certificate in 2025 had an exemption for Irish her views on whether this as a very high rate; if she will consider measures including supports for schools to reduce this figure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40138/26]

634. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm the feedback that was provided to a school in Louth (details supplied) following the review submitted regarding SNA allocation; the recommended SENO uplift; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40156/26]

635. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in County Louth excluded from the DEIS plus scheme that have sought to appeal the decision made by her Department, to date. [40160/26]

636. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in County Louth excluded from the DEIS plus scheme that have requested her Department to verify that the DEIS plus identification model has been correctly applied to the school's enrolment data. [40161/26]

637. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether direct engagement has taken place with the principals of seven DEIS primary schools in Drogheda (details supplied) following their public call to the Minister and the Government to urgently review and correct the decision made to exclude these schools from the DEIS plus scheme. [40162/26]

638. Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Education and Youth when approval will issue for a project at a school (details supplied) to progress to stage 2A, noting that stage 1 approval was granted and the associated funding was drawn down almost a year ago; the reasons for the delay, given the urgent need for the additional accommodation within the school community; and if she wil…

639. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department will take to ensure appropriate accommodations for students with dyslexia, dyspraxia and other neurodivergent learning differences during the leaving certificate examinations, particularly for those who require the use of assistive technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40178/…

640. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the removal of a teacher from a school (details supplied) given the SEN needs and the number of students in the school. [40254/26]

641. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the removal of a teacher from a school (details supplied) given the SEN needs and the number of students in the school. [40255/26]

642. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth the process that should be followed to address an issue at a site (details supplied) owned by her Department. [40264/26]

643. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an information request can be supplied to a teacher (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40268/26]

644. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date on which the decision was made to permit the issuing of NCSE eligibility letters in respect of applications received after the 1 October 2025 parents notify deadline for special school and special class placements for the 2026-2027 school year; when she and-or her Department first communicated this decision to the NCSE;…

645. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Youth to expedite a decision on an application for a special educational needs refurbishment grant for a school in Limerick (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40307/26]

646. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline in detail the number of places that will be available in the special school in Balbriggan due to open in Castlemill in 2026; if she will provide information on the application and selection process for these places and details of the catchment area for this school; and if she will make a statement on the mat…

244. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to further fund the WALK PEER programme funding beyond 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38466/26]

245. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount spent on reading recovery in the past five years, in tabular form. [38450/26]

246. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the evidence-based interventions being used in schools for children with dyslexia. [38451/26]

247. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to provide the further support requested by a school (details supplied) to roll out the summer programme. [38464/26]

248. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of Irish Sign Language specialist classroom support (ISL-SCS) posts that have been, sanctioned, advertised, filled, and remain vacant since the publication of Circular 0072/2025, Enhancement to Irish Sign Language (ISL) Scheme Provision, on 18 November 2025; the number of applications received and approved by the NCSE f…

249. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of section 29 appeals that have been received by her Department from parents seeking school places in the Kildare South constituency, by school, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38478/26]