School Equipment

1123. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has conducted an audit of recognised post-primary schools that require students to purchase or lease a laptop or digital device; whether there is any Department regulation or policy that permits or requires schools to make the purchase of a laptop mandatory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [550…

1124. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has undertaken any research or assessment of the financial impact on families arising from schools requiring students to purchase laptops or digital devices, including the costs of purchase, insurance, repairs and replacement; whether this has been compared with the savings arising from the free schoolbooks sc…

1125. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the grants or financial assistance are available to assist low- and middle-income families with the purchase of laptops or digital devices where these are required by post-primary schools; if she intends to introduce such a scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55006/26]

1129. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools that have informed her Department that they require one-to-one student laptops. [55010/26]

192. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to tackle the increasing number of schools mandating students to purchase laptops or tablets from single-vendor suppliers; if she accepts that this additional cost is placing a significant burden on families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53763/26]

303. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 331 and 332 of 30 June 2026, her Department's policy on the use of laptops and chromebooks in post-primary schools; whether schools may require parents to purchase a particular device where her Department does not make such devices mandatory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. …

304. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 331 and 332 of 30 June 2026, whether schools are required to follow public procurement rules when selecting a supplier of laptops or chromebooks for students; whether her Department provides guidance to schools on this process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53055/26]

162. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the financial supports available to parents to help them with the purchase of school devices (details supplied) for their children attending secondary school; if the schoolbooks scheme supports the provision of these school devices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49922/26]

331. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to reports that some secondary schools require senior cycle students to purchase specified digital devices from a designated supplier; the guidance, if any, issued by her Department to schools regarding such arrangements; whether schools may restrict the use of equivalent devices already owned by …

332. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the oversight arrangements in place in relation to agreements between schools and suppliers of digital devices for students; the supports available to assist families with the cost of such devices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48804/26]

346. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current waiting times for assistive technology grant application decisions; the options available for a child who requires this technology to ensure it is in place before starting secondary school in September 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49069/26]

374. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated first year and full year cost of a device allowance for schoolchildren whose schools are using tablets to the value of €1,000 per student; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49144/26]

375. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated first and full-year cost of providing a €250, €350, and €500 allowance for pupils to purchase an iPad or a tablet, in schools where having an iPad or tablet is mandatory, in tabular form. [49145/26]

409. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth if, where a school uses laptops/tablets instead of books, these laptops/tablets will be covered under the free schoolbook scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49716/26]

410. Deputy Aisling Dempsey asked the Minister for Education and Youth if schools opting to use laptops/tablets instead of books still receive funding for free schoolbooks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49717/26]

371. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify if digital devices such as laptops and tablets are required in order for senior cycle students to complete additional assessment components as part of the Leaving Certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47569/26]

1581. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality 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. [42365/26]

155. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in Cork that have availed of the phone pouch scheme; and the overall cost of the scheme in Cork. [40072/26]

179. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the introduction of digital devices in schools is placing a severe financial burden on families; if she will provide updated guidance to boards of management in this area; if she will consider a pause on the introduction of digital devices in schools until she commissions an inde…

92. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the mechanisms in place 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. [40510/26]

259. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the significant financial burden being placed on parents by schools requiring students to purchase chromebooks or other digital devices for senior cycle education; if financial supports will be introduced for working families who do not qualify for existing grants or allowances; and if her Department will i…

520. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the policy in relation to the use and provision of tablets to replace or supplement school books in secondary schools; if her Department provides financial support for families without the means of purchasing a tablet where the school policy is for pupils to have a tablet; if she will ensure that no child is disadvantaged by bein…

534. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the application of a 0% VAT rate to laptops and tablets required for educational purposes; if she has engaged with the Minister for Finance and/or the European Commission regarding the possibility of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37610/26]

535. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Education and Youth her Departments position on secondary schools requiring the compulsory purchase of laptops or tablets for pupils in school; if she can confirm that without these devices the school can refuse to provide books as normal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37611/26]

537. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Education and Youth the time it takes her Department to process an application for assistive technology for a child in primary and in post primary school; the number of applications for assistive technology received in 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37658/26]