JUST NINE TEXTBOOKS have been fully translated into Irish for Leaving Certificate students at Gaelcholáistí, who are relying on teachers to provide accurate notes and interpret chapters in real-time.

An additional €3m is being spent this year to beef up the resources for the agency tasked with translating the books, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG), specifically so that it can transcribe resources through Irish for all three senior cycle science subjects. 

Despite this, Gaelscoil students studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics will still not have the translated books until the end of next year, according to the Minister for Education Helen McEntee.

The details of the task ahead of COGG were provided to Sinn Féin’s Gaeltacht spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

Minister for Education Helen McEntee has commended the progress of COGG, which has managed to deliver 35 fully-translated books and resources to students and teachers since 2018. Department of Education and school curriculum officials have also been assisting in the task.

She told the Dublin South Central TD that, of the 35 translated school books for students in Gaelcholáistí, 26 of them have been for junior cycle curriculums, while just nine have been transcribed for the senior cycle.

This is despite many subjects in the Leaving Certificate curriculum, such as history and maths, requiring students to have multiple books for each course module, in both years of the senior cycle.

The minister explained that COGG prioritises books relating to subjects which are most popular to students in Gaelscoileanna for value for money purposes. A consultation on this approach has recently concluded, and a panel is considering other avenues, she said.

McEntee did not provide a timeline for when the remaining translated books will be completed, except for the resources for the three main science subjects – which are vital to Leaving Certificate students who want to further their education in the field.

She also said that COGG will be working towards delivering a number of books for new junior cycle subjects, set to be introduced at the beginning of the 2026/27 school year.