State Examinations

519. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware that in the recent Leaving Certificate biology examination, the exam booklet credits a website (details supplied) for making diagrams for the exam and that this is an AI generation tool for biology questions; her views on students’ assertion that some of the diagrams, notably the one on meiosis and mitosis,…

737. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of students who sat politics and society as a subject at second level for the Leaving Certificate, each year since its inception, in tabular form. [41486/26]

738. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures that she is taking to promote the uptake of politics and society as a Leaving Certificate subject; the measures in place to promote civic, social and political education at Junior Cycle; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41487/26]

929. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason for the deferral of the revised Leaving Certificate specifications for English and accounting, which were due to be introduced as part of Tranche 2 of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment in the 2026-2027 school year and have now been delayed by at least a year; the revised timeline for their introduction to schools; an…

561. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to Ukrainian school children due to sit Junior Certificate exams in June (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39327/26]

576. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth if any element of the junior certificate cycle or leaving certificate curriculum requires students to have access to a personal laptop outside of school; if project work associated with the revised senior cycle programmes can be fully completed using existing school information technology facilities; and if she will clarify her De…

581. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Youth her assessment of the impact of the revised senior cycle programme, particularly the increased emphasis on continuous project-based assessment across multiple subjects; the way she intends to address concerns that this has created an expectation that students must have access to a personal laptop; and if she will make a statement …

631. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth given that a one-year extension has been granted to the new Leaving Certificate English specification at the request of the State Examinations Commission, if she will consider an extension to Irish, given that according to experts and many Irish language and educational groups a two-year extension would allow full CEFR alignment…

633. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth given that 20% of those sitting the junior certificate in 2025 had an exemption for Irish her views on whether this as a very high rate; if she will consider measures including supports for schools to reduce this figure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40138/26]

639. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department will take to ensure appropriate accommodations for students with dyslexia, dyspraxia and other neurodivergent learning differences during the leaving certificate examinations, particularly for those who require the use of assistive technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40178/…

570. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the payment process for State examination fees; the reason the fees are not collected through schools as part of existing school payment systems; the reason parents are required to use a separate SEC portal with separate log-in details; the reason parents are required to manage a process that schools are structu…

443. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth to clarify the anomaly between the fee for Leaving Certificate and the fee charged to repeat the Leaving Certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33136/26]

462. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will outline whether any fee exemption or partial relief is available for families with more than one student sitting the Leaving Certificate in the same year, and if she is considering introducing such a measure. [33363/26]

463. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department is considering a review of the medical card only exemption for leaving certificate fees in light of concerns about its fairness, consistency; and the absence of any exemption or partial relief for families who do not qualify for a medical card. [33364/26]

528. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of sixth-year students exempt from Leaving Certificate examination fees in the 2025-26 academic year on the basis of holding a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29724/26]

529. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of third-year students exempt from Junior Cycle examination fees in the 2025-26 academic year on the basis of holding a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29725/26]

64. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the decision to reinstitute a charge in relation to the junior and leaving certificates. [28420/26]

72. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the mechanisms in place for families and students that are not able to afford the State exam fees for 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27967/26]

106. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will review the recent reintroduction of State examination fees for leaving certificate and junior cycle students in light of ongoing cost-of-living pressures on families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29009/26]

387. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to keep State exam fees. [29473/26]

109. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to address the outcomes of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment final report on junior cycle reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29016/26]

110. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the engagement and outcomes of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment final report on junior cycle reform; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29017/26]

517. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1273 of 14 April 2026, if she is concerned that the reintroduction of fees for State exams will act as a barrier to education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28514/26]

518. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1273 of 14 April 2026, the support available for any student that cannot pay the fee for State exams but does not qualify for a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28515/26]

519. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 1273 of 14 April 2026, if her attention has been drawn to the concerns of secondary school principals in relation to the reintroduction of fees for State exams; the supports that will be in place in cases whereby parents are unwilling or unable to pay these fees; and if she will make a statement…