Questions

233. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the plans that will be advanced for a new school on a site offered free of charge to the State, within the town boundaries of Milford, having personally visited a school (details supplied) to view the unacceptable conditions for the children, teachers and staff. [70195/26]

234. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Youth If, having regard to concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied), she will outline the actions being taken by her Department and the National Council for Special Education to secure an appropriate school placement for a child with significant additional needs who, despite applications to a special school and all suitable special classes …

235. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to seek increases in capitation for secondary schools in Budget 2027. [70219/26]

236. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to seek increases in capitation for primary schools in Budget 2027. [70218/26]

237. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the serious issues of intergenerational drug use, poverty and intergenerational trauma associated with drug feuds and drug intimidation were not considered when assessing schools in the Rathmullan area of Drogheda for inclusion in the DEIS plus programme; if not, the reason; and if she will commit to ensuring these factors are considered, possi…

239. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her attention has been drawn to the number of schools that cater for students with additional needs that have had to independently fundraise for school buses for vital transport; and whether funding will be made available to assist schools in acquiring these buses. [70330/26]

240. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason her Department refused to release the funds required to accommodate necessary works for the additional autism class at a school (details supplied) in Summer 2026. [70331/26]

241. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department is taking to ensure that qualified teachers returning to Ireland after gaining teaching experience abroad are not financially disadvantaged where their previous service is not recognised for incremental salary purposes; whether the impact of the current incremental credit arrangements on teacher recruitment and retention h…

242. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the planned development at a school (details supplied) in Bunclody, Co. Wexford. [70359/26]

243. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will intervene to avoid industrial action (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [70167/26]

244. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will instruct her Department to examine a case (details applied) and ensure that the situation can be resolved. [70371/26]

245. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of seats on a school bus; the number of students with a seat on this service; the number of unused seats; and whether any remaining seats can be made available for a neighbouring school (details supplied). [70364/26]

246. Deputy Tom Brabazon asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will review Circular 0029/2010 and the current arrangements for the award of incremental salary credit to registered teachers, with a view to allowing relevant and verifiable teaching service in recognised or established private schools outside the European Union to be reckonable for incremental credit; and whether she is aware of the fin…

247. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to address the concerns raised (details supplied) regarding the approval of the Graduate Diploma in physical education at Portobello Institute. [70333/26]

248. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason an organisation was included in the agreement on the Revised Parental Complaints Procedure for Primary Schools; whether any organisations representing parents, people of no religion or belief, or secular interests were consulted or invited to participate in its development; the criteria used to determine which organisations were included in…

249. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the role her Department had in the development and agreement of the Revised Parental Complaints Procedure for Primary Schools, which came into effect on 1 January 2024; the organisations consulted during its revision; the reason an organisation was included as a party to the agreement; whether parent representative organisations or organisations repre…

250. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Repurposing Grant allocated toa school (details supplied); the specific structural and architectural modifications approved under this funding framework, including the provision of a dedicated sensory room and adequate space layout to accommodate children with complex, diverse sensory needs; the confir…

251. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Education and Youth the annual cost of fuel and travel expenses for travelling special education teachers (SETs) required to work across multiple school settings. [70388/26]

252. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify the arrangements that apply where a school secretary payroll overpayment remains outstanding when a person retires, specifically whether a remaining balance can be recovered from a person's pension payments; to further clarify whether outstanding overpayment debt is written off in the event of the death of the person concerned, or if recov…

253. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) who has been notified of a payroll overpayment due to an administrative error by her Department, in this case the employee's payslips did not record the number of hours worked; if this matter has been taken into account in assessing the overpayment; and if she will make a stat…

254. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth the policies and procedures governing the recovery of payroll overpayments arising from Departmental error in cases where the employee acted in good faith and had no knowledge that an overpayment was occurring; and is she will make a statement on the matter. [70404/26]

255. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total annual cost arising from special education teachers (SETs) being required to travel between schools, broken down by travel expenses and the estimated cost of teaching time lost while travelling; and the total number of teaching hours lost annually in this regard. [70406/26]

256. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason an emergency works application by a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 was refused; and if the application can be reviewed in light of the condition of the existing accommodation. [70414/26]

257. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the funding streams available to post-primary schools seeking to undertake exterior repainting and improvement works; and whether funding may be available to a school (details supplied) seeking to undertake such works to improve the exterior of its building and school environment. [70475/26]

258. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total amount allocated for the school transport scheme for exemption routes under the scheme from 2020 to date in 2026, by year, in tabular form. [70532/26]