2507. Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ring-fence CAO places so that students from previous years compete amongst themselves, and not directly against the class of 2025, whose grades are artificially lower by comparison; if not, if grade deflation will be applied to students from previous years entering the 2025 CAO system; and if he wi…
Topics / State Examinations
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsState Examinations
233 questions from 77 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 20 October 2026.
233
questions
231 written, 2 oral
77
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
5
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 3 |
| February 2025 | 2 |
| March 2025 | 4 |
| April 2025 | 44 |
| May 2025 | 9 |
| June 2025 | 12 |
| July 2025 | 3 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 12 |
| October 2025 | 7 |
| November 2025 | 10 |
| December 2025 | 5 |
| January 2026 | 6 |
| February 2026 | 13 |
| March 2026 | 23 |
| April 2026 | 28 |
| May 2026 | 10 |
| June 2026 | 22 |
| July 2026 | 7 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 10 |
| October 2026 | 3 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
-
18
-
16
-
12
-
11
-
9
-
9
-
7
-
7
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
2514. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of applications to CAO 2025 which are from students who will not sit the Leaving Certificate in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19368/25]
2528. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consideration has been given by his Department to ringfence a proportion of CAO places for applicants from previous leaving certificate cohorts to allow them to compete within their own group instead of against the class of 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19524/25]
102. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the plans for grade deflation of Leaving Certificate results since the introduction of grade inflation; if 2025 Leaving Certificate students will be adversely impacted as a result of grade inflation over that time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17740/25]
103. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that in 2024 average grade inflation for Leaving Certificate students was 7.5%, in 2025 it will be lowered to 5.5.%, thus the class of 2025 will get approximately 15 to 16 points less than last year, however one in four CAO applicants in 2025 will be using their points from 2024; the way in which she plans to ensure t…
125. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education given the concerns raised by parents about the issue of grade inflation, particularly regarding its impact on the Class of 2025, the steps she is taking to ensure that these students are not unfairly disadvantaged in their pursuit of university places. [18080/25]
126. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education considering that the adjustments made in response to the pandemic may create challenges for current Leaving Certificate candidates competing against students from previous years, if she will consider measures such as aligning the grading of non-2025 applicants with the adjustments made for this year's candidates for the CAO application process. [18081/25]
127. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Education the assurances she will provide to ensure a fair and balanced assessment system that accurately reflects the hard work of the class of 2025. [18082/25]
286. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department is aware that 25% of this year’s CAO applicants are from previous years, and many of this cohort are from years where leaving certificate grades were inflated; if he will acknowledge the significant disadvantage this creates for current Leaving Certificate students, who have already faced c…
287. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will ring-fence CAO places for students from previous years in order that they compete against each other and not against the 2025 Leaving Certificate students whose grades are artificially lower by comparison or apply grade deflation to students from previous years entering this year's CAO; and if he w…
288. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider ring-fencing a proportion of CAO places in 2025 for students who are sitting the Leaving Certificate in that year, so they are not in direct competition with applicants from previous years whose grades reflect higher levels of grade inflation; if he will consider applying proportional grad…
110. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that sufficient efforts are being made to ensure teachers, schools and pupils are adequately prepared for the introduction of the new leaving certificate cycle in the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17201/25]
165. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education how she intends to address to concerns of students and parents regarding the grade inflation in recent years and the potential impact on Leaving Certificate students graduating in 2025. [17091/25]
206. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education how the issue of grade inflation in recent years and the potential impact on Leaving Certificate students graduating in 2025 will be addressed by her Department to ensure that no Leaving Certificate 2025 student is disenfranchised by historic grade inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17220/25]
211. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to ensure fairness in Leaving Certificate 2025, particularly in comparison with previous cohorts, in light of grade inflation in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16933/25]
484. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education her plans to address the pay disparity between special needs assistants (SNAs) and non-SNAs for supervising State exams, a practice that appears discriminatory and contrary to the principles of equity within the education system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16796/25]
561. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Education the steps her Department is taking to ensure that this year’s Leaving Certificate students are not at a disadvantage as a result of her Department’s move to reduce grade inflation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17505/25]
1051. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the concerns among students sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2025 regarding the impact of grade inflation from previous years on CAO competition; his views on measures such as ring-fencing places or adjusting grade calculations to ensure fairness for all applicants; and t…
1054. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science how the equalisation of the Leaving Certificate will affect the points race for courses in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16584/25]
1062. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to students completing the Leaving Certificate in June 2025 in relation to the CAO process (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17002/25]
1079. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to help mitigate the impact on the distribution of college places offered to applicants sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2025 of changes to the grading system between those who will sit the Leaving Certificate in 2025 compared to those who sat the Leaving Certificate in years previous; and if he …
1082. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the proportion of applicants to the CAO for 2025 completed the Leaving Certificate between 2020 and 2024; the efforts he is making to ensure equity in the CAO application process for Leaving Certificate candidates of 2025 who will not benefit from the same level of grade inflation as candidates who sat the…
1084. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there are plans to amend the grade inflation for the Leaving Certificate from the pre-pandemic era, which unfairly puts 2025 Leaving cert students in competition for university places against previous years students who have benefitted from more generous grading; and if he will make a statement on th…
376. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education the way his Department intends to address the issue of fairness in 2025 Leaving Certificate grading adjustments; the way his Department will ensure students who deferred their college applications from 2024 having received results under a different grading standard, will not have an advantage over those sitting the Leaving Certificate in 2025; and if there will…
633. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education if she will confirm a timeline for publication in respect of the promised review by the State Examinations Commission on exam accommodations for students with dyslexia and other learning difficulties; and if she will make a statement on her engagement with the body in respect of supports for dyslexic students. [11375/25]