Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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696. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Meath will be afforded an exemption for Irish when the person commences secondary school in September 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23019/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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While the study of Irish is compulsory at both primary and post-primary there are a limited number of specific circumstances whereby an exemption from this requirement may be granted.

The granting of exemptions is governed by Departmental circulars, 12/96 for primary and M10/94 at post-primary. Under these circulars the authority to grant exemptions within the terms of the circulars has been delegated to school management. Advice in the application of these circulars to individual cases may be sought by either the school or the parent from the Inspectorate of my Department.

In respect of the case referred to by the Deputy the advice of my Department's Inspectorate was sought on two occasions. Following two separate reviews of this case by different Inspectors they both advised that the student concerned did not meet the criteria for the granting of an exemption