Many students think Irish should not be a compulsory Leaving Cert subject

The consensus is that the senior cycle is "too rigid."

Many students think that Irish should not be a compulsory Leaving Cert subject. A review carried out by National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) showed that a lot of young people think that Irish should be a optional subject, with some others saying that no subject should be totally compulsory. Many students and teachers also suggested covered less subject content on the curriculum and putting more of a focus on skill development. The review considered the opinions of 2,500 students from schools across the country, as well as teachers and parents. It showed that most students and teachers think the current senior cycle is "too rigid" and that there should be more flexibility for those who want to study non-traditional subjects. While a lot of students expressed interest in Irish not being compulsory for Leaving Cert, others emphasised the importance of studying the language throughout the secondary cycle. Most participants agreed that Maths and English should remain compulsory subjects. The NCCA is expected to compile its key findings and present a report to the Minister for Education and Skills soon.