Latest / The Niall Boylan Podcast (They Told Me To Shut Up)
#523 Do We Still Need Compulsory Irish?
The number of secondary students given exemptions from studying Irish has reached a new record high of 60,946, according to the latest figures from the Department of Education and Youth.
The figures show the number of exemptions from studying Irish has almost doubled in the past seven years, leading to fears among some that Irish is losing its compulsory status in schools.
The latest figures from the Department of Education and Youth show that in the 2024/25 academic year, 60,946 children, or 14.3 per cent of the post-primary school population, had an exemption from studying Irish even though…
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