Questions

261. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if consideration will be given to extending the free schoolbooks scheme or introducing a dedicated technology grant to assist families with the cost of mandatory devices required by schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39353/26]

262. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of registered teachers currently employed in schools under conditional or temporary registration arrangements pending completion of the route 3 recognition processes, by school year, in tabular form. [39360/26]

263. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to roll out the autism class application trial nationwide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39361/26]

264. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any policy review has been undertaken regarding access to social housing supports for persons leaving abusive relationships following the sale or transfer of a family home. [38583/26]

265. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has plans to adjust the income thresholds for the housing assistance payment; if he will provide details of those plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38490/26]

266. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will investigate the potential systemic misuse of public funds under the help-to-buy and first home schemes (details supplied); the clawback and auditing mechanisms in place when a developer is found to have secured State funds based on a legally defective certificate of compliance on completion; and if he will make a stat…

267. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will review the current eligibility criteria for postal voting in elections, particularly in cases where registered electors are unable to vote in person due to pre-arranged personal travel; whether consideration is being given to expanding access to postal or alternative voting methods to ensure greater participation in ele…

268. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of stock audits undertaken in 2025 and 2026 to date, by county, in tabular form. [38602/26]

269. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to give consideration to the importance of tourism in County Kerry and especially Killarney town by reconsidering the short-term lets policy; to allow a waiver for the proprietors of short-term lets who are in business three years or longer in relation to the need to apply for planning permission to be allowed continue with their…

270. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will confirm if ECCE-only childcare services are liable for commercial rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38671/26]

271. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will arrange to have the entitlement of a person (details supplied) to the State pension (contributory) re-examined in the light of a recent decision of the scope section of his Department to re-classify their previous social welfare contributions and seek additional PRSI payments from the person; his views on whether the outstanding PRSI contri…

272. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the step-by-step process required for employees to obtain trustee signatures on pension claim forms. [38507/26]

273. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether all pension schemes require trustee sign-off, or if there are exemptions. [38508/26]

274. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection the typical delays encountered by employees in securing trustee signatures and submitting completed forms. [38509/26]

275. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection whether his Department has assessed the impact of this requirement for trustee signatures on processing times for pension claims. [38510/26]

276. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will introduce measures, including digital authorisation or simplified procedures, to expedite the process required for employees to obtain trustee signatures on pension claim forms and reduce administrative burdens on employees. [38511/26]

277. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Social Protection whether her Department has undertaken any review of financial barriers faced by victims of domestic abuse when seeking access to emergency income supports, housing assistance payment supports or social housing. [38584/26]

278. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will review the telephone support allowance to reflect the increased reliance on mobile phones as the primary means of communication for many households, particularly among older people and people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38668/26]

279. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will consider increasing the telephone support allowance rate of €2.50 per week in line with inflation, rising communication costs and the growing necessity of mobile phone and data services for access to healthcare, banking, transport, and Government services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38669/26]

280. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will examine extending eligibility for the telephone support allowance in Budget 2027 beyond the current “living alone” requirement to include recipients of disability allowance and pension payments who rely on mobile phones for safety, independence, and access to essential daily supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3867…

281. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the amount of State funding allocated to domestic abuse support services, refuges and outreach programmes in each of the past five years and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [38585/26]

282. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of domestic violence refuge spaces per 10,000 population in Ireland compared with the Council of Europe recommended level. [38586/26]

283. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration to provide an update on interdepartmental security preparations for Ireland's EU Council Presidency, including arrangements for visiting dignitaries; to indicate how the December 2025 incident involving unidentified drones near President Zelenskyy's flight path is informing current interagency coordination; and if he will make a s…

284. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration his plans to reform the court system application process and stop it being used as a tool of abuse (details supplied) [38446/26]

285. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the number of outstanding Garda vetting applications for early years childcare workers. [38452/26]