Parliamentary questions

568. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will address the capacity pressures within the visiting teacher service for the visually impaired, in light of recent presentations to the Oireachtas by advocacy groups (details supplied); the measures being taken to ensure timely and adequate support for children with visual impairments; and if she will make a statement on…

569. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide details on all open EU infringement proceedings where the subject of the infringement relates to the functions of her Department; the reason the infringement proceedings were initiated; the procedural stage of the infringement proceedings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30265/26]

570. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps a community can take to prove there is a demand in a local area to reopen a primary school that was previously closed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30284/26]

571. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth to consider reopening a rural school that was previously closed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30285/26]

572. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth the grants available to parents for the purchase of laptops for students given the increasing adoption of modern technologies in teaching methods; whether funding is being made available to schools for the purchase of laptops; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30286/26]

573. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the ongoing negotiations with school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30290/26]

575. Deputy Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Education and Youth when schools and parents can expect a determination to issue on applications submitted for an additional year at senior cycle for students who have reached the age of 18 years-of-age; the timeframe within which such applications are assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30318/26]

576. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has considered reducing the Professional Master of Education from two years to one year in light of current teacher shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30344/26]

577. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth following comments by the Taoiseach (details supplied), to outline the original number of teachers that were to be provided, and the additional number provided for in this announcement; the original number of special needs assistants that were to be provided, and the additional number provided for in this announcement; and the …

578. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the views of parents of early years children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30347/26]

579. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the views of parents whose children currently attend multi-denominational schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30348/26]

580. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria used to decide which responses from the National Primary School Survey were included in the reported outcomes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30349/26]

581. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will commit to releasing the full dataset, or a more detailed breakdown of responses, of the National Primary School Survey; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30351/26]

582. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the application by a school (details supplied) for additional classroom spaces, which are urgently needed to accommodate the growing school population and increased demand for Gaelscoil education.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30391/26]

583. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any supports will be introduced for families due to the rise in school bus costs for the 2026/27 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30401/26]

584. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the main policy achievements of her Department since 22 January 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30475/26]

585. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether any funding is available for low-cost full-scale productions of Leaving Certificate plays to ensure that all students have the opportunity to see these scripts as they were originally intended. [30532/26]

586. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in Cork currently entitled to a school place in September 2026 who have not yet received that place. [30534/26]

587. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children in Cork who are entitled to special school transport who do not currently have access to this transport. [30535/26]

588. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the amount paid out under the exceptional grant for parents of children entitled to special school transport who do not receive this transport in Cork, in each of the past five years, in tabular form. [30536/26]

589. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review a cut in SET hours for a school (details supplied). [30549/26]

590. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding any work ongoing in relation to putting in place support mechanisms for children classed as twice exception that also have an advanced learning need (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30558/26]

591. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the research carried out by a person (details supplied) into the supports required by children classed as twice exceptional that also have an advanced learning need (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30559/26]

592. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to a letter sent to her office by a board of management of a school (details supplied); the actions she will take to address the concerns raised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30565/26]

593. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to an accommodation shortfall for a school for the coming school year (details supplied); the actions she will take to ensure this is rectified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30566/26]