Parliamentary questions

132. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration will be given to expanding the upper age limit and September age cut-off criteria within the admissions policy for the new special school in Balbriggan, in recognition of the fact that many children with additional needs commence school later than their peers due to developmental, medical or placement-related…

133. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if flexibility will be introduced to ensure that children who may be over the stated age threshold, or who miss the September cut-off by a short period, are not excluded from accessing an appropriate special school placement where a clear educational need exists in the new special school in Balbriggan; and if she will make a …

134. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is considering a data-sharing arrangement with the Department of Health to facilitate forward planning in the area of special education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38101/26]

135. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if Project Nexus will be linked with a centralised application system for families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38102/26]

136. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on recruitment for the Education Therapy Service; the funding available to the service for expansion over the coming years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38103/26]

137. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures she is taking to ensure that every special school has a summer programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38104/26]

138. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth the preliminary findings of the inspectorate with regard to the evaluation of 25 autism-specific ELC settings in receipt of the home tuition grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38105/26]

139. Deputy Keira Keogh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are supports available to a designated special school to purchase a specialised vehicle to transport students to and from the school; if this will be considered as part of pre-budget talks for inclusion as a right of additional needs children to have access to their school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. …

140. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures to ensure a school (details supplied) which has a confirmed waiting list of eligible children and an available classroom, is permitted to open a second ASD class for September 2026; the timeline for processing expressions of interest under the special class sanction process; when SNA allocations for the 2026-2027 …

141. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she would consider creating a grant for all schools to undertake awareness events such as grandparents coffee mornings, specifically aimed at creating more understanding and awareness around special and additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38133/26]

142. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38138/26]

143. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on an emergency works application by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38140/26]

144. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on an application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38142/26]

145. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will explain the 4% reduction in the allocation for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in the Further Revised Estimates for Public Services; whether this reduction will impact recruitment, waiting times or access to psychological assessments and supports for schools and students; and if she will make a st…

146. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason no new schools will be opening in the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38159/26]

147. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her plan is not to open any more new schools in the next five years, if she will outline her plans to fulfil the Programme for Government commitment to open more Gaelcholáiste. [38160/26]

148. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her plan is not to open any more new schools in the next five years, if she will outline her plans to increase the number of multi-denominational schools. [38161/26]

149. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of pupils in primary and secondary schools who have Down's syndrome, in tabular form. [38162/26]

150. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the supports available for children with Down's syndrome to transition from primary school to secondary school. [38163/26]

151. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on her Department's primary school survey; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38165/26]

152. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to ensure every school has a school library. [38181/26]

153. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to expand the JCSP library to every publicly funded school in Ireland. [38182/26]

154. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of JCSP libraries that currently do not have librarians. [38183/26]

155. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of schools that have JCSP libraries. [38184/26]

156. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Youth when school caretakers will receive improved pay and terms and conditions of employment, as promised when they ended strike action; the status of this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38185/26]