School Curriculum

253. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the specific measures she will take to address the ongoing challenges in implementing the new Junior Cycle curriculum, particularly in terms of teacher workload and resource allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14907/25]

254. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the means by which she plans to ensure that the Senior Cycle reform addresses both academic and vocational pathways to better prepare students for future careers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14908/25]

340. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if other modules will be rolled out for the level two learning programme for September 2025 in view of the fact that only literacy and numeracy are available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13334/25]

405. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education if there are any plans in place to set up a regional scheme to assist parents who wish to give their children the opportunity to complete transition year, but whose school either does not provide the year or holds lotteries that exclude students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14076/25]

406. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education on the assumption that a child who wished to complete a place in transition year, but was denied the opportunity due to not being picked in a school lottery, to clarify that her Department will accept any application to repeat fifth year on that basis, so that students can take their Leaving Certificate exams at an appropriate age …

407. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education the reason schools, that have autonomy on enrolment but nonetheless must complete the designated curriculum, are given leeway in terms of running a transition year programme or limiting numbers and subjecting students and parents to lotteries; whether there are plans to make transition year a mandatory component of the senior cycle…

408. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education what legal mechanisms exist for parents whose children have been refused a transition year place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14079/25]

409. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education what advice parents should be given if their children do not get offered a desired place on a transition year programme; whether leeway would be given by education welfare officers to parents who arrange work experience and educational trips for their children in terms of missing official school days; and if she will make a stateme…

410. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty asked the Minister for Education if she will facilitate parents who have suitable arrangements in place collectively or individually and who wish to give their children a transition tear experience in the absence of a place being available in the school, by means of a home tuition grant being made available to these children; and if she will make a statement on th…

667. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the reason current 5th year students have to study 20 sraith pictiúir for the Irish oral exam in 2026 compared to current 6th year students having to study ten; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11697/25]

669. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of US-based Catholic missionary organisations (details supplied) running pilot programmes in State-funded primary schools for pre-confirmation classes; if the content of these programmes has been examined by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11713/25]

692. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of Leaving Certificate students in relation to a matter (details supplied); the engagement her Department has had with the State Examinations Commission on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11884/25]

696. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the number of sráith pictiúir that will be included in the 2026 Leaving Certificate oral Irish examination; if she will recognise that current fifth year students are anxious to have this clarified; if the current number of ten will be maintained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11912/25]

271. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Education if she will consider the introduction of a basic cookery skills program at national school level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10297/25]

1. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the concerns raised by school leaders in relation to the accelerated roll-out of senior cycle reform; if she accepts that the accelerated timeline does not allow enough time for essential preparations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8924/25]

34. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education whether she has met with organisations (details supplied) to discuss the concerns of teachers regarding the proposed Leaving Certificate Senior Cycle reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8315/25]

40. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education if she will cease the promotion of transgender ideology in primary and secondary school curricula, given the extensive research from comprehensive studies such as the Cass report, which provides stark warnings on the issue, and the fact that it is being implemented without consultation with parents, teachers, or consideration of school ethos…

64. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to increase access to, and participation in, transition year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8489/25]

230. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Education her views on the programme of work to be undertaken to implement the Programme for Government’s commitment to ‘Increase the number of schools offering PE as a Leaving Certificate exam subject’; and whether an equal focus will be placed on same-sex girl’s schools, where participation levels in sports are typically lower. [5776/25]

237. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education her plans to teach the history of Ireland’s Traveller community through the school curriculum to build on this State’s recognition of traveller ethnicity in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8706/25]

248. Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Education her policy on the need for primary and post-primary schools to establish classes or workshops for students on recognising misinformation and AI-generated online content, following the increased prevalence of these issues in recent times. [8910/25]

313. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will act to remove faith formation, including sacramental preparation, from the core school day; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4653/25]

94. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if she intends to proceed with Senior Cycle reform as planned or, in light of significant concerns, if she will consult with teacher representatives and school communities and revise this plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3822/25]

482. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education when information will be published about changes to senior cycle subjects, which can be used to help 5th year students pick their final year subjects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3157/25]

507. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to reduce the number of exemptions from studying Irish at second level; the number of special assistant teachers that currently provide Irish language support to second-level students; what measures are being taken to improve the number regarding same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3494/25]