Parliamentary questions

316. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the exact number of children in Cork currently on the National Council for Special Education's database awaiting a special education placement as of a stated date; the number of the 63 newly confirmed special classes in Cork that are fully operational versus those still awaiting site readiness or staffing allocation; and if the Dep…

317. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the Department holds, or has sought, any internal NCSE data showing the number of children in Cork whose assessed special educational need does not match any currently vacant place in the county; and the timeline being applied to resolve those mismatches. [50589/26]

318. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 829 18 March 2026, to confirm whether the NCSE's reference to children being tracked on "our database" constitutes confirmation that a live, countable record of unplaced children exists; and if so, the reason this number was not disclosed. [50590/26]

319. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the Stage 2B report for the development of a new school (details supplied) has been submitted by Patron Body to her Department’s Buildings Section; if her Department has commenced the review of the report; when the review might be complete; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50595/26]

320. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to the obligation under Section 78 of the International Protection Act 2026 to provide children seeking international protection with access to primary and post-primary education within two months of application, the number of additional school places projected to be required in the school planning areas serving the Citywes…

321. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any primary or post-primary school places in the Saggart and wider South Dublin area are, or will be, specifically reserved or ring-fenced for children of international protection applicants accommodated at the Citywest Reception Centre; the way in which such arrangements interact with the standard admissions and enrolment proce…

322. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth given that children seeking international protection at the Citywest Reception Centre may be enrolled in local schools within two months of application while their families are simultaneously subject to the accelerated border procedure of up to 12 weeks, or to onward dispersal to other IPAS centres following screening, the arrangem…

323. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm the status of a person’s application (details supplied) to the teaching council for post primary qualifications assessment; if serious consideration will be given to the application due to the person’s qualifications, particularly as there is a need for European language teachers; and if she will make a statement on the m…

324. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will consider the establishment of a new Gaelcholáiste in west Cork to meet the growing need outlined by the community (details supplied). [50683/26]

325. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth if an application for registration through the Teaching Council will be reviewed (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50734/26]

326. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will provide a significant increase in funding to coastal rowing (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50545/26]

327. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an evaluation undertaken within his Department of the impact of the large scale sports infrastructure funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50601/26]

328. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a detailed breakdown of the funding provided for nature restoration. [50403/26]

329. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated cost to double the funding for biodiversity officers, by cap ex and op ex, in tabular form. [50420/26]

330. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has conducted an assessment of the extent to which recent tenancy law reforms have contributed to landlords exiting the private rental market; the findings of such an assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50329/26]

331. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the funding that was provided to retrofitting of local authority homes; the average cost to retrofit a local authority home; and the average BER uplift in each of the years 2020 to 2026, in tabular form. [50354/26]

332. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the funding that was allocated for solar PV in local authority homes in each of the years 2020 to 2026, in tabular form. [50355/26]

333. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if, given Residential Tenancies Board data showing a record number of notices of termination issued during Q1 2026, he will undertake a review of the impact of the Residential Tenancies (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026 on landlord participation in the private rental sector; and if he will make a statement on t…

334. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of applicants who have availed of the €1,500 annual payment under the cessation of turf cutting compensation scheme, by year, since the creation of the scheme; the total number of new successful applicants who have availed of the €1,500 annual payment under the scheme by year since its creation,…

335. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views that the absence of national planning guidelines for anaerobic digestion and biomethane facilities risks producing inconsistent decisions across local authorities and An Coimisiún Pleanála; the steps he is taking to ensure a coherent national planning framework for such facilities; and if he will make a…

336. Deputy Séamus McGrath asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to introduce a grant incentive scheme for social housing tenants to purchase private housing (details supplied). [50507/26]

337. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for the full staffing allocation, according to grade provided to Galway City Council; the additional staffing positions approved for Galway City Council in each of the years 2024 and 2025; the grade level at which the additional staff were sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50570/26]

338. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the full staffing allocation, by grade provided to Galway County Council; the additional staffing positions approved for Galway County Council in each of the years 2024 and 2025; the grade level at which the additional staff were sanctioned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50571/26]

339. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the development of a new fire station in Galway city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50572/26]

340. Deputy Michael Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the publication and commencement of the proposed National Planning Statement on rural housing will require planning authorities to initiate statutory variations to their County Development Plans where existing policies are inconsistent with the new National Planning Statement; whether planning authorit…