Written answers
Thursday, 17 July 2025
Department of Education and Skills
Irish Language
Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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155. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is concerned by reports that large numbers of students in post-primary schools are receiving exemptions for Irish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40157/25]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the number of exemptions from the study of Irish granted at post primary level in recent years is as follows:
| Year | Exemptions granted at PP level | Enrolments at PP level | Granted as % of overall PP enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018/19 | 10,538 | 362,899 | 2.9% |
| 2019/20 | 12,057 | 371,450 | 3.25% |
| 2020/21 | 11,097 | 379,184 | 2.93% |
| 2021/22 | 13,710 | 391,698 | 3.5% |
| 2022/23 | 19,882 | 406,392 | 4.9% |
| 2023/24 | 19,827 | 416,575 | 4.76% |
The number of exemptions granted must be viewed in the broader context:
- School enrolments at post primary level have increased from 357,408 in 2017/18 to 416,575 in 2023/24, representing an increase of 16.5% at post-primary level.
- Over 18,000 students have enrolled from Ukraine alone over the last 3 years, 11,267 at primary level and 6,846 at post primary.
- At post-primary level, over 86,153 children have come into the education system from abroad in the last 5 years.
- The number of children with more complex special educational needs is increasing and this is evidenced by the almost 1,700 new special classes that have been provided in mainstream schools over the last five years and special school enrolments are increasing by 300 each year.
- There are almost 28,000 students with special educational needs enrolled in special classes and special schools in the 2024/2025 school year. This will equate to almost 3% of our overall primary and post primary student population.
- New circulars were introduced in 2022/23 and so there will be a cohort of students at all levels who would not have previously met the criteria for an exemption from the study of Irish under previous circulars.
The Department is also taking a number of actions to strengthen the teaching and learning of Irish including:
- through professional learning opportunities,
- the Gaeltacht Education Policy
- the development of a new policy for Irish medium education outside the Gaeltacht,
- the establishment of a new Unit within the department to develop an action plan to support the teaching and learning of Irish in English medium schools,
- the provision of increased investment in COGG, a dedicated agency to support the teaching and learning of Irish,
- through curricular reform at every level
- through ongoing increase in participation by English medium schools in the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) project
- through the ongoing development of PE through Irish resources for English medium schools
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