Education Policy

413. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views of existing restrictions on teachers taking parental leave in individual days as can contribute to a lack of continuity between students and individual teachers; if she intends to review existing restrictions on teachers taking parental leave in individual days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32125/2…

456. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a new national small school’s project will be introduced. [32656/25]

464. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on programmes to improve media literacy in primary and secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32750/25]

120. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide details of any intentions within her Department to re-engage with primary schools on the ‘keeping childhood smartphone-free’ initiative for the 2025-26 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31159/25]

125. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the STEM education policy statement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30704/25]

143. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth to detail the most recent occasion her Department provided guidance, through Department circular, curriculum guidelines or any other method, to primary schools on the allocation of homework to pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31158/25]

151. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Education and Youth to detail her plans to hold an education convention; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30555/25]

510. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline the thresholds currently in place as part of the demographic demand analysis that would warrant a school extension or a new school building. [29087/25]

262. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that private entities are offering online grinds to prepare for standardised tests at primary school level; if she will take steps to prohibit such practices as they inhibit the function of, and rationale for, State testing. [26691/25]

476. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to review the current policy of her Department which does not allow for grade repetition unless there is an academic reason (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25727/25]

568. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason only children who have entered the country in the last two years can be counted when schools apply for additional EAL teaching posts; the reason the allocation is not made on the number of children who do not speak English (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23468/25]

184. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the process where teacher allocations to schools are made based on the student numbers of the previous year considering the challenges this presents in schools that see a large enrolment in any given year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22432/25]

779. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil den Aire Oideachais an féidir léi a dheimhniú go bhfágfar an scrúdú cainte Gaeilge don Ardteist i mbliain a 6, ar scrúdú é atá seanbhunaithe, mar atá sé faoi láthair, chun a chinntiú go mbeidh tosaíocht ag an nGaeilge labhartha go deireadh na sraithe sinsearaí. [18742/25]

853. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if she intends to establish a Citizens’ Assembly on Education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19218/25]

430. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has considered weighting the CAO points of former students to ensure parity with this year’s Leaving Certificate students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18189/25]

99. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education her Department’s approach to supporting democratic schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17723/25]

100. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education if she will engage with an organisation (details supplied) regarding to the establishment of a democratic school in Waterford. [17724/25]

283. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider introducing a statutory obligation for schools and third-level institutions to report suspected recruitment or coercive activity by ideological groups to the relevant authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17762/25]

284. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has carried out any assessment of cult influence or high-control group activity within educational settings, particularly in relation to the recruitment of vulnerable students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17763/25]

285. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will work with the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality to develop national guidelines for schools and universities to help staff identify signs of cult recruitment and coercive indoctrination on campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17767/25]

104. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to ensure children are protected and safe in the online world while at school; if she will acknowledge that €9 million phone pouches are an expensive distraction and that a more comprehensive response is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16979/25]

150. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education her Department's plans to expand the role of the home school liaison roles. [14636/25]

182. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education if she will take into account the findings of a recent survey (details supplied), which received 1,231 valid parental responses representing 2,323 children, in which 73% of respondents expressed a preference for a co-educational school and 59% for a non-denominational model; noting that currently there is no such post-primary option in th…

442. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education the status of Leaving Certificate reform; her plans, and the timeline of changes; and what changes are planned. [16571/25]

445. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education to explain how the Leaving Certificate results will be “equalised” from Covid time; and if she will make a statement on the issue. [16574/25]