Parliamentary questions

Employment Rights

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

19. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when he plans to implement the Duffy Cahill report in order to give workers preferential status as creditors and help prevent a similar situation to that of workers (details supplied) arising again. [30030/21]

Covid-19 Pandemic

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

22. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the way his Department plans to address the concerns articulated by employers and trade unions regarding the rights and responsibilities for employers relating to unvaccinated staff to keep their workplaces and customers safe particularly in smaller enterprises. [30031/21]

Immigration Policy

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

37. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the actions his Department plans to address the request of an organisation (details supplied) to allow the right to work to feed, house, clothe and educate themselves without fear of deportation in view of the extraordinary conditions imposed on them by the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30033/21]

Trade Agreements

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

73. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if his Department will halt any attempt to progress CETA ratification in view of the outstanding constitutional legal case, the principle of limiting liability in climate change matters which has been included in the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 and the existing protection from an investor court not open to the public to hold investors accountable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30032/21]

Special Educational Needs

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

131. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if the summer special needs education package for July 2021 will include budgetary provision for additional payments to bus drivers whose normal employment practice does not include summer working; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29901/21]

School Staff

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

406. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of a reduction of one at all points of the staffing schedule for primary schools from September 2022; and the net number of teaching posts involved in view of her Department’s predictions of a continuing fall in primary school enrolments. [29342/21]

School Staff

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

407. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education her plans to reduce class sizes in primary schools in budget 2022 in view of the finding in the statistical bulletin of July 2020 of her Department that there has been little change in average class size in primary schools over the past 20 years and her public comments in support of further reducing class sizes. [29343/21]

Education Policy

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

408. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the estimated annual cost of providing on an ongoing basis release time for administrative and management purposes of one day per week for each teaching principal of a primary school; her plans to bring this about as standard in view of the increased workload and demands on principal teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29344/21]

Tax Reliefs

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

58. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is considering a digital gaming sector tax credit similar to section 481, tax credit for film, television and animation; and if so, if he will ensure that the receipt of the tax credit will be based on a signed agreement from the recipient on the provision on quality employment which by definition would focus on eliminating low pay in the sector, providing secure contracts of direct employment, giving proper pension provision and supporting employer engagement with trade unions. [27025/21]

Grant Payments

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

180. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the supports, grants or schemes that are available to micro, small and medium enterprises such as a company (details supplied) that have been excluded due to non-eligibility for the Covid restrictions support scheme and the Fáilte Ireland schemes; his views on whether there are businesses such as this that were missed in the current schemes and that should be supported; if he will devise or recommend a scheme that could support such businesses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26328/21]

Special Educational Needs

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

456. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if a dyslexia reading unit will be opened in a school (details supplied) in September 2021 given it was the understanding of parents in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25521/21]

Teaching Qualifications

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

460. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if her Department plans to replace the route 4 Teaching Council recognition to primary school teaching of special education which is ceasing in September 2022; her views on the importance of this qualification arrangement that does not have an Irish language requirement that allows a greater diversity of learners to qualify for special education teaching; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25586/21]

Youth Services

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

461. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education her plans for funded recreational programs for young persons; if she will work with the Minister for Justice in order to address antisocial behaviour as the country reopens after the pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25588/21]

Schools Building Projects

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

479. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will provide projections for secondary school demand and capacity for the Galway and Oranmore catchment areas; the status of permanent accommodation for the Galway ETSS; the expected timeline for the project; and the contingency plans that will be put in place for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years to meet the accommodation needs of the school in the continued absence of a permanent solution. [25848/21]

Schools Administration

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

512. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education when her Department will distribute and implement the latest reduced timetable guidelines to ensure they are in place in schools in September 2021; if she will ensure in their implementation that an ethnic identifier is applied for Traveller and Roma children; and if a formal evaluation at the end of year one with a disaggregated report per school will be carried out. [26422/21]

Schools Administration

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

526. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will seek Tusla's intervention in the oversight and information compiled by schools regarding the application of a reduced timetable including the rationale for applying the reduced timetable. [26690/21]

Antisocial Behaviour

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

631. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Justice if she will request the Garda authorities to examine working with officials in the Department of Education in order to try and address antisocial behaviour as the country reopens after the pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25589/21]

School Enrolments

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

337. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the increasing concern of a shortage in places, long waiting lists and the number of students with no place identified in second-level schools in north County Dublin for September 2021; and the action she is taking to resolve the issues. [25499/21]

School Staff

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

338. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the consideration that has been given to a moratorium on the reduction of teacher and SNA allocation numbers in any school in September 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25500/21]

School Enrolments

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

443. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education her plans to expand the capacity of schools in the local area of Chapelizod, Dublin, due to a number of housing developments in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23692/21]