Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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651. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to tackle the increasing and worrying levels of student receiving exemptions for the Irish language; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57944/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I can advise the Deputy that the Department of Education and Youth is committed to the Irish language as a core element of the school curriculum. Irish is a vital part of our national identity and educational heritage, and its promotion remains a key priority.

In certain exceptional circumstances, a primary pupil or post-primary student may be granted an exemption from studying Irish. School management holds the authority to grant an exemption.

While there has been an increase in the number of students granted an exemption at post-primary level in recent years, the numbers at primary level have decreased .

The number of exemptions from the study of Irish granted must be seen in the broader context:

- School enrolments at post-primary level have increased from 362,899 in 2018/19 to 425,411 in 2024/25, representing an increase of 17% at post-primary level.

- Over 17,000 Ukranian students alone are currently enrolled in our schools, over 10,000 at primary level and over 7,000 at post-primary.

· 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 equates to almost 3% of our overall primary and post-primary student population.

The department is strengthening supports for Irish language education more generally through a number of means including:

· Work is at an advanced stage in the department on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. It is intended that the policy will be published shortly.

· An action plan for Irish in English-medium schools is being finalised and is also due to be published shortly.

· Redeveloped Irish language curriculums at primary and Junior cycle level and work ongoing at senior cycle level.

· Supports and resources provided through An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) including very successful upskilling Irish language classes, a guidance toolkit which promotes careers and third level education opportunities with Irish, development of Irish resources to support learners with special educational needs, the development of An Tairseach, a portal to provide access to resources for Gaeltacht and Irish-medium schools and resources to support the delivery of PE through Gaeilge in English-medium primary schools.

· Teacher education and training including empowering teachers to use differentiated approaches in teaching the Irish language, in order to support children and young people with a diversity of needs.

· Funding to Foras na Gaeilge to progress a number of initiatives including the Gaelbhratach programme, further development of Seideán Sí and the development of an Irish/ Irish Dictionary.

· Ongoing work on the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) project in conjunction with the department’s support service OIDE and COGG.

· Ongoing teacher professional learning provided by Oide, the department’s professional learning support service.