State Examinations

282. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth the way in which a person can submit an FOI request on the way the State Examination Commission writes and stress tests exam papers to ensure that there are no errors (details supplied).; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52685/26]

338. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether, having regard to the approach adopted by the State Examinations Commission following concerns raised in relation to the 2023 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics examination, the Commission will undertake a detailed analysis of candidate performance at various stages of the marking process for the 2026 higher lev…

339. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will request the State Examinations Commission to publish, following the issue of results, the Chief Examiner's analysis of candidate performance in 2026 higher level mathematics, including performance on questions that generated significant concern among teachers and students; and if she will make a statement on the matte…

340. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she has reviewed the submission made by the Irish Mathematics Teachers' Association (IMTA) regarding the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics examinations; whether the concerns raised therein have been referred to the State Examinations Commission and the Chief Examiner for consideration during the marking pr…

341. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the Department of Education or the State Examinations Commission has requested or commenced an analysis of candidate performance in the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics examinations compared with previous years; whether such analysis will inform the standard-setting process and the finalisation of marking…

342. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the Chief Examiner for Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics has been requested to examine concerns raised by students, parents and the Irish Mathematics Teachers' Association regarding Question 8 and Question 10 of the 2026 examination papers; whether candidate performance on these questions will be specifically r…

180. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department plans to review the policy around students who experience a family bereavement during the Leaving Certificate as the current policy only allows for a three day deferral; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50164/26]

395. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason Leaving Certificate appeal results are provisionally scheduled to issue on 25 September 2026, after the completion of the first four rounds of CAO offers and their acceptance deadlines; whether she has assessed the impact on students whose grades and CAO points increase following a successful appeal, but who may be unabl…

408. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No’s 445, 446 and 447 of 16 June 2026, whether the State Examinations Commission has confirmed to her Department that the established quality assurance, review and sign-off procedures for the setting of examination papers were followed in full in respect of the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level…

167. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth the process by which the wording of a recent State Examinations Commission Leaving Certificate Paper which had a question referring to a "pregnant person" was developed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47957/26]

168. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the State Examinations Commission has a policy, guidance document or framework governing the use of gender-neutral terminology in examination papers; if so will she provide details of same; and whether any external advisors, organisations or stakeholders were consulted regarding the language used in the instance of a rece…

169. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures the State Examinations Commission takes to ensure that examination content remains objective, evidence-based and free from political or ideological influence in the preparation of examination papers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47959/26]

185. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the State Examinations Commission issues any guidance, instructions, policies, protocols, circulars, retention schedules or other documents to schools in connection with the provision of State Examination results, records of results and result transcripts, including provisional and final results; whether any such docum…

186. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the information, guidance or explanations made available by the State Examinations Commission, by her Department or schools to students and parents regarding the purposes for which State Examination results, provisional results and records of results provided to schools may subsequently be retained, used, disclosed, shared or …

348. Deputy Ann Graves asked the Minister for Education and Youth to review the 2026 Leaving Certificate biology higher paper concerning a question on genetics (details sup[plied), [47319/26]

354. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth for a review of procedures for exam students regarding family bereavements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47372/26]

275. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on a Leaving Certificate query (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46416/26]

277. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of concerns raised regarding the Leaving Cert higher level mathematics examination, particularly paper one; if she has received correspondence on this matter from a person (details supplied) setting out their concerns; her response to issues raised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46448/26]

74. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the review that has been or will be undertaken by her Department or the State Examinations Commission into the difficulty, structure and fairness of the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics papers 1 and 2; if any adjustments to marking schemes or grading processes are being considered in light of concerns raised by st…

445. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether she has been informed of concerns raised by students, parents, teachers or representative bodies regarding the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics paper 1; the quality assurance, review and approval procedures which apply to the setting of State examination papers by the State Examinations Commission; whether …

446. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether her Department or the State Examinations Commission has received representations regarding the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics paper 1; whether she has sought assurances from the State Examinations Commission that any concerns raised will be considered through its established marking, grading and review pr…

447. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether the Government has been briefed on concerns expressed regarding the 2026 Leaving Certificate higher level mathematics paper 1; whether he is satisfied that the current statutory and governance framework applying to the State Examinations Commission provides sufficient transparency, accountability and oversight in relation t…

496. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated cost to abolish Junior and Leaving Certificate exam fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45666/26]

510. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Youth the rationale for the sequencing of the Leaving Certificate appeals process and the CAO offers process in 2026, whereby the provisional date for the release of Leaving Certificate appeal results is 25 September 2026, after the issue and acceptance deadlines for rounds one to four of CAO offers; whether she has assessed the risk that…

518. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the recent Leaving Certificate honours maths papers; if she acknowledges that the 25% uplift was introduced to encourage more students to choose honours maths but if papers are exceptionally difficult as reported this year, this will run counter to the reason the uplift was introduced; and if she will make a s…