Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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667. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason current 5th year students have to study 20 sraith pictiúir for the Irish oral exam in 2026 compared to current 6th year students having to study ten; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11697/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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692. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of Leaving Certificate students in relation to a matter (details supplied); the engagement her Department has had with the State Examinations Commission on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11884/25]

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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696. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of sráith pictiúir that will be included in the 2026 Leaving Certificate oral Irish examination; if she will recognise that current fifth year students are anxious to have this clarified; if the current number of ten will be maintained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11912/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 667, 692 and 696 together.

The sraith pictiúr, or picture sequences, are a component of the common Irish Oral test for Higher Level and Ordinary Level candidates, with the Oral test accounting for 40% of the overall marks for Leaving Cert Irish.

In response to issues highlighted in National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) research about the sraitheanna pictiúr and the conversational elements of the Oral Irish exam, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) introduced adjustments to the structure of the Common Oral examination for the 2020 exams and thereafter. These aim to create greater opportunity for candidate-examiner interaction and so give the candidate scope to display their competence while keeping a balance between the different parts of the oral exam. However, the oral exams did not take place in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.

Since then there have been adjustments to assessment arrangements in light of the pandemic’s impact on teaching and learning. These adjustments have been made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, in relation to student-to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons. They include a reduction in the number of sraith pictiúr that each candidate must prepare from 20 to 10.

On 17 April 2024, the then Minister for Education confirmed that adjustments would be made to the 2025 State examinations. These adjustments are the same as those that applied to State examinations in 2023 and 2024, but updated as relevant.

Detail on the adjusted assessment arrangements for every subject/module descriptor in the Leaving Certificate Established, Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and Junior Cycle programmes were issued to schools on 18 September 2024, and schools were asked to ensure that all students were made aware of these changes. The level of future year adjustments to examinations after 2025 will be informed by the 2025 experience.