School Staff

238. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education whether she will commit to streamlining the NCSE review process for schools seeking additional special needs assistant support, in light of concerns that delays in decision making are impacting students with autism and complex needs; and if she will provide average processing times for such reviews in the past 12 months. [18328/25]

116. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if she plans to ensure that school secretaries employed by boards of management receive equivalent pensions, leave entitlements and the equivalent benefits and conditions enjoyed by her Department or ETB-employed school secretaries/administrators; her views on whether this is an inequity and anomaly that is required to be addressed in the inter…

128. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education if she will review the policy on incremental credit for post-primary teachers with overseas experience in private schools, given that such experience is recognised for primary teachers but not at post-primary level (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18087/25]

117. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the number of teacher posts currently vacant, by county. [17203/25]

125. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to address the recruitment and retention crisis in education and the related increase in numbers of unqualified teachers employed in the system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16936/25]

203. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education if consideration will be given to keeping a teacher at a primary school in Louth (details supplied) as its projected pupil numbers will be higher in September 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16889/25]

207. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to ensure the full complement of special needs assistant posts are filled in September 2025 in order to adequately staff the 400 promised new special classes and 300 special school places; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16934/25]

437. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education the number of SNAs employed in the education system, in tabular form. [16566/25]

438. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education the educational qualifications needed to become an SNA; whether this should be adjusted to reflect the experience and expertise needed to fully support the children and young people they work with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16567/25]

472. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education if she will review and reverse a recent decision to suppress two mainstream class teacher positions in a school in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16635/25]

475. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the case of a school teacher (details supplied); if her department will engage with the Teaching Council in relation to this case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16651/25]

478. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Education if she will report on her proposals to ensure that school caretakers are fairly remunerated for their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16711/25]

479. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Education if she will report on her proposals to ensure that school secretaries are fairly remunerated for their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16712/25]

482. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 480 of 27 March 2025, to clarify whether the terms and conditions of the non-statutory leave of absence following assault scheme for teachers and SNAs are in line with what is currently being applied across the public sector; if the paid leave available is consistent with other professions in the public…

483. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if five mainstream teachers will be retained at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16793/25]

491. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education to review a matter concerning an SET post at a school (details supplied). [16886/25]

498. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education the number of SNA posts funded in Budget 2025; the level of support this will provide in the planned new special classes and special schools for counties Wexford and Wicklow, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16947/25]

499. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Education the steps her Department is taking to address the issue of some schools' SNA applications status currently unknown; the actions that have been taken to ensure that schools receive the necessary SNA support to meet the needs of students with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16948/25]

503. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Education to examine a student teacher's July provision payment (details supplied) given this teacher has not received full payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16990/25]

510. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education to provide details on any changes in the allocation process for schools for special needs assistants for 2025/2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17173/25]

511. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education if people who were assessed since the beginning of this year could be impacted in the allocation process for schools for special needs assistants for 2025/2026; when pupils assessed can expect a decision on their assessment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17174/25]

516. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Education to review the case of a DEIS Band 1 primary school (details supplied) which is set to lose its tenth mainstream teacher due to a rigid interpretation of enrolment figures. [17264/25]

521. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education with regard to the Gaeltacht learning period grant for primary ITE programmes, to consider the implementation of a similar grant model for post-primary ITE programmes, as the majority of Gaeilge post-primary student teachers have two compulsory cúrsaí Gaeltachta, each two weeks in duration, as part of their programme, and this is identical …

528. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if she will review the quota system in operation for the allocation of SNAs; if she will ensure that the recommendation made by a Louth-based SNA to provide additional resources to a school in Drogheda, which has been declined, will be honoured (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17374/25]

529. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Education if she will review the quota system in operation for the allocation of SNAs; if she will ensure that the recommendation made by a Louth-based SNA to provide additional resources to a school, which has been declined, will be honoured (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17375/25]