Questions

580. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding Department-led assessment of demand for Irish-medium primary schools. [65148/26]

581. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding initiatives in place that seek to meet the demand for Irish-medium secondary schools at a local level in areas where demand has been proven. [65147/26]

582. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Youth if persons who previously received a small settlement in respect of abuse suffered while attending school will be eligible to apply for redress under the new scheme; and if a previous settlement will affect their eligibility or the amount of redress available. [65172/26]

583. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the transport arrangements that can be implemented for a child (details supplied) to get them to and from school. [65027/26]

584. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps that can be taken to ensure that a student (details supplied) can access a school. [65189/26]

585. Deputy Catherine Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the limited availability of moderate ASD class places at post-primary level in County Carlow; whether her Department has assessed the future demand for such places in advance of September 2028; and if consideration will be given to establishing a moderate ASD special class in a school (details supplied) given the existing A…

586. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average processing time for an application for the redress scheme for survivors of institutional abuse; the number of staff allocated to work on such applications and the proportion of these allocated on a full-time basis; and her plans to accelerate the processing time for applications, grant of payment and payment of monies. [65247/26]

587. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the construction and anticipated opening timeline for the new special school in the Loughshinny area of County Dublin (details supplied); the current expected date for completion of construction and handover of the building; the anticipated date on which the school will open to pupils; and when pupils and staff are expec…

588. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth to ensure a child (details supplied) has a school transport place for the forthcoming school year. [65180/26]

589. Deputy Charles Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the number of sraithpictiúr for the leaving certificate oral Irish exam will remain at ten for examinations taking place in 2027 and 2028; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65294/26]

590. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth to review school bus transport for a child with special needs (details supplied). [65292/26]

591. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions she will take in response to the PISA 2025 findings that 24.2% of students in Ireland are performing below level 2 in mathematics and 16.5% below level 2 in reading, and the decline in performance in both areas over the past decade. [65231/26]

592. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a late application can be accepted from a family in circumstances where one parent is recently deceased and the remaining parent now requires school transport; if so the process which must be followed; and how late an application can be submitted. [65228/26]

593. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has put in place provisions to ensure that there is a place in an Irish-medium second level school for those who have attended an Irish-medium primary school. [65213/26]

594. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a school (details supplied) can expect a decision on its application under the additional school accommodation scheme in light of the school's stated health and safety and accommodation pressures. [65337/26]

595. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department has carried out a review into the mathematics higher level papers 1 and 2 in this year's Leaving Certificate, which was poorly received by students, parents and teachers (details supplied); whether the drop in grades in mathematics in 2026 could be partly answered by the difficulties in the papers; the changes she envisages in pre…

596. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she will review the guidance and professional development provided to teachers and special education teachers on evidence-informed approaches to supporting students with literacy and numeracy difficulties, including dyslexia and dyscalculia, in view of the PISA 2025 findings. [65235/26]

597. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures in place to ensure that students with dyslexia and dyscalculia are identified and supported at the earliest possible stage, including access to evidence-informed interventions, assistive technology and appropriate examination accommodations. [65234/26]

598. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she is satisfied that schools have sufficient special education teaching resources to provide appropriate literacy and numeracy interventions for students experiencing persistent difficulties, including students with dyslexia and dyscalculia; and whether these allocations will be reviewed following the PISA 2025 results. [65233/26]

599. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth the actions she will take to address the PISA 2025 attainment gap between students in DEIS and non-DEIS schools, including the 49-point gap in reading and 46-point gap in mathematics. [65232/26]

600. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 62819/26 of 7 September 2026, the current status of the review of Circular 0032/2017 on the cost of school uniforms referred to in the reply; the date on which that review is expected to conclude; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65403/26]

601. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 62835/26 of 7 September 2026, the total value of voluntary contributions collected by schools in the most recent year for which data is available; whether her Department has set any target for reducing compulsory or unavoidable costs to parents; and the reason her Department does not gather data on school level co…

602. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 62819/26 of 7 September 2026, if her Department will begin to collect data on the total cost of sending a child to school, including voluntary contributions, uniforms, books and digital devices, given that this data is not currently collected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65401/26]

603. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 62819/26 of 7 September 2026, if her Department will begin to collect data on the total cost of sending a child to school, including voluntary contributions, uniforms, books and digital devices, given that this data is not currently collected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [65400/26]

604. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether a special class is planned for a school (details supplied) as part of the proposal to construct a new building for the school; if a special class is included in the plans; and if it will be operational by September 2029. [65387/26]