There is considerable controversy surrounding the Exemptions Scheme, as while it is said that permission to avoid sitting State examinations in the subject is only granted in truly exceptional cases, Irish language organisations have been complaining that the number of exemptions has been rising sharply in recent years, particularly at post-primary level.

At primary level, pupils are granted an exemption from Irish are excused from attending Irish classes. It has emerged that the schools attended by these pupils often timetabled special education classes for the children at the same time as Irish classes. 

Mark Bohan, the principal officer with responsibility for the Exemptions Scheme, admitted that he himself was surprised when he was informed that Irish is the only compulsory subject that every school is obliged to provide at both primary and post-primary level.

“Everyone does it but technically it is not required,” he said. “I understand that comes as a surprise.

“When I first had this conversation, I was surprised myself — but technically, Irish is the only subject that must be provided, for example, as part of a Leaving Certificate course in a school.”

He was responding to a question from Senator Shane Curley during this session of the Joint Committee, the most recent session held on the question of exemptions.

“We administer the exemption scheme for Irish and that is what I am familiar with,” he said. “However, my understanding is that the reason there is an exemption scheme for Irish and not for other subjects is that Irish is a core subject that must, technically, be provided at both primary and post-primary level.”

Senator Curley said this demonstrated that there was a problem with Irish that did not exist with English or Mathematics.

“If a pupil has difficulty with Maths or English, we find a way around it to help them engage with that subject, but if Irish is too difficult for a pupil, the response is ‘Leave it, and get an exemption’.”

Teachta Dála Shóna Ní Raghallaigh said it was clear that the exemptions system was not working and asked the Department’s representatives to provide an explanation.

“There is no evidence to say that having additional needs is the same as being unable to learn a language,” said the TD. “There is no evidence that a person from another country cannot learn a third language — they are generally bilingual when they arrive here.”

It was also indicated during the hearing — which was being conducted by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Gaeltacht, the Irish-speaking Community and the Irish Language at their final meeting before the Oireachtas Easter recess — that Irish should not be withheld entirely from pupils who receive an exemption from Irish as a school subject.

Brendan Doody, from the Special Education Policy Unit, explained that it was set out in the most recent circular — which laid down the requirements for the granting of an exemption to a pupil from Irish — that the pupil would continue to have contact with the language.

“Statistically, with any given population, we can say that 2% of that population will experience difficulties. They will face real difficulty and challenge in accessing the language,” he said.

“That does not mean they cannot learn a language.

“In the circular, there is a very clear statement that an exemption does not mean you do not learn the language.

“An exemption means you are not required to access all aspects of the language, but if you have the capacity to listen and to speak there is no reason why you cannot engage with it at your own level of ability. That is very clear in the circular.”

Doody also acknowledged that schools were scheduling Irish classes at the same time as additional education classes, and said this was not “best practice.”

His colleague Mark Bohan said the Department was preparing information leaflets that would provide parents and teachers with the necessary information regarding questions relating to exemptions.

He said the Department would look at schools with low numbers of exemptions in order to understand how exemptions are managed in those schools.

During the hearing it was indicated that 12,131 primary school pupils — or 2.2% of the total — had exemptions from Irish during the 2024/25 school year, and it was said this showed that the number of exemptions being granted had been decreasing since 2018.

According to figures brought to light in an edition of TG4′s Iniúchadh last September, exemptions were granted to 60,946 post-primary pupils for the 2024/25 school year — the highest number ever recorded.

Throughout the hearing, Department officials repeatedly emphasised that exemptions from Irish were only granted in “truly exceptional” cases.

Gavan O’Leary, Assistant Secretary in the Department, gave an overview of the Department’s action plan regarding Irish in schools that are neither Irish-medium nor Gaeltacht schools.

“Regarding the action plan — ‘Is féidir liom, is féidir linn’ (I can, we can) — it is a two-year plan that aims to improve the teaching, learning and use of Irish in English-medium schools,” he said.

“An extensive consultation and research process informed the action plan,” he said. “It will support schools in implementing existing curricula to provide more engaging and more meaningful learning experiences for children and young people.”

The Journal’s Gaeltacht initiative is supported by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme