Parliamentary questions

School Accommodation Provision

Michael Fitzmaurice

126. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the additional accommodation that is urgently required by schools (details supplied) in counties Leitrim and Roscommon within the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25766/15]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Mattie McGrath

127. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the recommended pupil-teacher ratio for best practice; the extent to which this ratio is currently being exceeded at primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25715/15]

Education and Training Boards Administration

Paul Murphy

128. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the anti-bullying policies of the education and training boards; the policies in place to ensure employee consultation in the drafting of these policies; the frequency at which they are reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25815/15]

Education Expenditure

Jonathan O'Brien

129. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of a policy paper recently launched by Barnardos calling for an additional €103 million in education funding to provide a truly free primary education system; and her plans to move towards a primary schools system where parents do not pay towards the cost of books or transport. [25737/15]

School Staff

Michael Fitzmaurice

130. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that she has amended downwards the number of pupils required for the retention of teachers in two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher national schools, if she will consider reducing the numbers needed for the appointment of teachers in two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25767/15]

Institutes of Technology

Jonathan O'Brien

131. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the results of a survey of academics in institutes of technology commissioned by the Irish Federation of University Teachers and the Teachers Union of Ireland that shows that lecturers are spending time on language and writing skills with students to the detriment of actual teaching time and that many international students are being recruited to courses despite not meeting course requirements; her plans to address this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25733/15]

Third Level Staff

Clare Daly

132. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the damage to the reputation of the National University of Ireland by recent high profile discrimination against female academic staff and applicants at the National University of Ireland Galway, if she will back the Services, Industrial, Professional and Technical Union's call for an independent equality review. [25700/15]

Schools Health and Safety

Charlie McConalogue

133. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the recent survey (details supplied) carried out by the Irish Heart Foundation researching the state of nutrition standards in post-primary schools which found that 40% of schools surveyed did not offer free, clean drinking water; and her plans to reform dietary and nutrition standards in secondary schools. [25813/15]

Schools Site Acquisitions

Charlie McConalogue

134. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the purchase of a site for the three-school Crana College campus in Buncrana in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25811/15]

Education Policy

Maureen O'Sullivan

135. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the concerns of many teachers regarding the impact the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will have on the education system here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25795/15]

Educational Disadvantage

Seán Kyne

136. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the evaluation process under which a school is designated under the delivering equality of opportunity in schools scheme; if the evaluation process is subject to ongoing review; if schools not currently included in the scheme are eligible to apply for consideration, particularly in the interests of equity between schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25754/15]

School Curriculum

Terence Flanagan

137. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to encourage schools to provide alcohol and drug awareness programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25816/15]

Schools Building Projects Status

Richard Boyd Barrett

138. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any possibility of fast-tracking the transfer of a school (details supplied) in County Dublin to its permanent location, as the school has been waiting 20 years and is completely unable to cope in its current temporary location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25822/15]

Education Expenditure

Mick Wallace

139. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional investment in education spending to provide a totally free primary education for all children which would cover all financial extras such as books, classroom resources and transportation, in line with the recent call by a charity (details supplied) for an investment of €103 million for this purpose; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25803/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Bernard Durkan

140. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she is satisfied with the availability of special needs classes throughout the primary and secondary level sectors; if special needs teachers and special needs assistants continue to be made available in sufficient numbers to meet ongoing and future needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25763/15]

Data Protection

Jonathan O'Brien

141. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of an incident in a County Limerick school where it has emerged that hidden cameras were placed inside the school without the knowledge of staff, parents or pupils; and if the Data Protection Commissioner is investigating this matter. [25735/15]

School Staff

Paul Murphy

142. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the situation where teachers and other workers in the majority of primary and secondary schools could be disciplined owing to their religious views; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25814/15]

Third Level Facilities

Jonathan O'Brien

143. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware two students with disabilities at Saint Angela’s College in County Sligo are unable to visit the canteen because of accessibility issues. [25736/15]

Schools Building Projects Administration

Bernard Durkan

144. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet to the maximum extent possible the full requirements as set out in the school building programme and as reflected in submissions from the various school authorities at primary and secondary level; the extent to which this will entail the replacement of existing prefabricated or temporary structures with permanent buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25764/15]

School Guidance Counsellors

Mick Wallace

145. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondary schools that have a full-time guidance counsellor; the number that do not have a full-time guidance counsellor; the percentage of these that are fee-paying and that are non-fee-paying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25804/15]