Parliamentary questions

1259. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding work ongoing within her Department to reduce the student-teacher ratio in secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56797/26]

1260. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding work ongoing within her Department that seeks to increase the provision of special education teachers to ensure the best possible outcome for students that require additional support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56798/26]

1261. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the national average student teacher ratio in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56799/26]

1262. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the average student teacher ratio in primary schools in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56800/26]

1263. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to address pay and conditions, including pensions in respect of school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56810/26]

1264. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of approved school places required in County Kerry at primary and post-primary level over the next five years; and the schools where capacity pressures have been identified. [56833/26]

1265. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a breakdown of the number of special education places available in Kerry; the demand for special educational needs places in Kerry; the number of special education classes sanctioned in Kerry in each of the years 2020 to date and for the school year 2026-2027, in tabular form. [56835/26]

1266. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of special needs assistants and special class places allocated to schools in County Kerry in each of the past five years. [56836/26]

1267. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to urgently address an number of issues raised in relation to children's books in school libraries (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56843/26]

1268. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of publicly owned buildings that were vacant on the latest date available, broken down by purpose and/or last previous use; the length of time each property has been vacant; the reason for vacancy in each case; the amount spent to maintain the property since it was first left vacant in each of the years 2020 to date, in tab…

1269. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the average expenditure of schools in County Kerry on electricity and heating in each of the years from 2021 to 2025 and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [56882/26]

1270. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the request by a school (details supplied) to provide a large-scale communication board to support students, particularly those with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57035/26]

1271. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the merits of providing a dedicated fund for schools to seek funding for a large scale communication board (details supplied) to support students, particularly those with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57037/26]

1272. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of SEN ASD places that will be available in schools, both primary and post-primary, in the Dublin south-west area for the 2026-2027 academic year, in tabular form. [57056/26]

1273. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans for new schools or school extension within Dublin Mid-West due to the population increases; the funding associated with these; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57077/26]

1274. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the teacher allocations for each second level school in Dublin mid-west for the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 school years; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57078/26]

1275. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the SNA allocations for each second level school in Dublin Mid-West for the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 school years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57079/26]

1276. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the teacher allocations for each primary level school in Dublin mid-west for the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 school years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57080/26]

1277. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the SNA allocations for each primary level school in Dublin Mid-West for the 2025 to 2026 and 2026 to 2027 school years; in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57081/26]

1293. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the financial difficulties facing a school (details supplied), arising from her Department’s decision to reimburse only 50% of bus escort costs at the start of the 2025–2026 school year, with the balance not due until January 2026; if she recognises the significant cash flow pressures this places…

1303. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Youth to address the pay and conditions, including pensions school caretakers and secretaries (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57649/26]

1335. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans to reinstate the special education diploma allowance for teachers who entered public service after 1 February 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57760/26]

1337. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she recognises the disparity created between teachers who have completed the special education diploma prior to 2012 and continue to receive the associated allowance and those teachers who completed the same diploma after 1 February 2012 and do not receive the equivalent allowance; and if she will make a statement on t…

1338. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the annual Exchequer cost of restoring the special education diploma allowance to all teachers who have completed the recognised special education diploma but who are not currently eligible for the allowance; whether this cost has been assessed in the context of the public service pay agreement or Local Bargaining Fund; whethe…

1382. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth the contingency planning that has been undertaken by her Department in the event of further industrial action by school secretaries and caretakers; the assessment made of the impact such action would have on the operation of schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58749/26]