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A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>(Left to right) Minister for justice Jim O’Callaghan and European Commissioner for internal affairs and migration Magnus Brunner at Government Buildings in Dublin today. Mr Bruner said Ireland is 'well prepared' for the introduction of the new EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which is due to come into effect next June. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos</p>

politics

Government may cut number of student visas for English language students, minister says

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said: 'International protection is probably a small percentage of the number of people who come into the country'

<p>In 2021, 70% of new vets entering the register were educated outside Ireland, and 45% of these registrations were specifically from foreign vets. File photo</p>

news

Veterinary medicine school launched in bid to almost double number of trained vets

<p>A visualisation of UCC's proposed CUBS development on South Terrace in Cork. Read Mick Clifford's in-depth analysis of the saga in Saturday's 'Irish Examiner' in print or online. Image: Pedersen Focus</p>

munster

CUBS project scrapped: UCC pulls plug on €17m Cork city centre business school plan

UCC abandons business school: How millions in public money were spent with little to show

S spotlight

UCC abandons business school: How millions in public money were spent with little to show

A glass of milk a glass of water on a brown background

news

Oireachtas committee may suggest milk and water as only drink choices in school meals scheme

Young Fine Gael accuses UCC societies executive of trying to 'suppress political expression'

munster

Young Fine Gael accuses UCC societies executive of trying to 'suppress political expression'

Man typing on laptop keyboard with ai cyber head on hologram screen. Artificial inteligence, machine learning, digital brain and

AI could help students meet 'major challenges facing humanity' if we reframe education, say researchers

The paper, from the University of Cambridge, urges educators and policymakers to consider a move to 'dialogic' learning, in which teachers and students talk more, explore problems together, and test ideas from different angles

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

School air quality stock

Just 2.2% of primary school pupils exempt from studying Irish last year

Vast majority of exemptions were granted to students who have special educational needs

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Excited group of college graduates throwing their hats in celebration

Almost a third of medical students left Ireland after graduating

CSO research also found substantial differences between earnings of male and female graduates

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Royal High School

Students copying AI material could lose all marks in Leaving Cert coursework

Using ChatGPT-4 to generate possible project themes during the brainstorming stage, provided it is referenced by a student, is deemed appropriate under the new guidance

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Primary school girls are taught during a lesson by a male teacher

Who decides who belongs in our schools?

The discussion around patronage of schools must include how different patrons provide for special education, argues Neil Kenny

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Academic Katriona O'Sullivan to head centre aimed at bringing disadvantaged students into higher education

Academic Katriona O'Sullivan to head centre aimed at bringing disadvantaged students into higher education

Ms O'Sullivan will lead the National Centre for Inclusive Higher Education at Maynooth University, which aims to give students from underrepresented and underserved communities access to higher education

Thu, 13 Nov, 2025

Senator asks if SpunOut view on loneliness has 'a dimension of snowflake syndrome'

Senator asks if SpunOut view on loneliness has 'a dimension of snowflake syndrome'

Former Waterford mayor Joe Conway said SpunOut statement is 'an immensely depressing handle to throw on the youth of Ireland'

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

Students having a lesson in the lecture hall

Ireland 'an example' in giving disadvantaged students access to higher education, report shows

OECD analysis notes Ireland has made a 'sustained effort to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in higher education over multiple decades'

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

A person writing in a blackboard during Religion class in a school. Next, some books.

Another survey — but still no change for children who opt out of religious instruction

If the Government is truly committed to equality and inclusion in education, it needs to move beyond surveys and start legislating for it, writes Aoife Cassidy

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

A crucifix hangs on the wall of a classr

Parents are being asked three simple questions about what they want from primary schools

For the first time, Irish parents and guardians of current and future schoolchildren are being asked for their preferences on gender mix, language medium, and patronage/ethos

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

A crucifix on a book against the background of a chalkboard

S Mick Clifford: Survey on school patronage should be conducted beyond the current crop of parents

Parents of all children up to the age of 12 are being asked to take part in an online survey to determine what kind of patronage they want for their local school. Don’t hold your breath in anticipation of change, writes Mick Clifford

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

Primary school girls are taught during a lesson by a male teacher

Irish Examiner view: 'Voluntary' school payment practice must stop

The Department of Education told this newspaper the Education (Admissions to schools) Act 2018 'explicitly prohibits' the charging of admission and enrolment fees for admission to, or for continued enrolment in, a school

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

Stripe to partner with Irish Maths Trust to secure olympiad's future

Stripe to partner with Irish Maths Trust to secure olympiad's future

The sponsorship by the financial services company follows Ireland’s best-ever performance in the 2025 International Maths Olympiad, which saw the team take home two silvers and a bronze

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

Books-Mark Ronson

Jennifer Horgan: From infidelity to conflicts of interests, our infinite choice culture has us all in a heap

I know I’m not the only one who exhausts themselves scrolling through films and series, feeling so depleted that I end up watching 'Schitt’s Creek' again

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

Royal High School

Jess Casey: Seeking illegal school admission fees acts as 'soft barrier' for many parents

It's understood the seeking of registration fees by schools is more widespread than just the five Cork schools outlined in Thursday's 'Irish Examiner' report

Thu, 06 Nov, 2025

Cost of living crisis

Five Cork schools illegally seeking fees from parents

One school described the fee as a 'non-refundable' registration fee, while another described it as a 'voluntary registration fee'

Thu, 06 Nov, 2025

Educational group activity at the kindergarten or daycare

Children of different backgrounds in Ireland show developmental gap from age of three, study finds

The Growing Up In Ireland study also found 'adolescent girls reporting higher levels of anxiety and emotional difficulties, while adolescent boys demonstrate higher levels of antisocial behaviour'

Wed, 05 Nov, 2025

Wire strippers. The electrician cleans the protective insulation from the wire using a wire stripper. The process of connecting

'Compromised' exam papers for apprentice electricians withdrawn

Concerns that the papers may have been sold

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

Rising cost of tools paid for upfront hampering apprentices, Oireachtas committee to hear

Rising cost of tools paid for upfront hampering apprentices, Oireachtas committee to hear

The Oireachtas Further Education committee will also hear that Ireland’s roughly 30,000 apprentices have to travel 'the length of the country' to attend the educational phase of their course

Tue, 04 Nov, 2025

School stock

Sustainability of special class growth questioned with amount almost doubling in four years

Despite this level of growth, parents who spoke to school inspectors highlighted having to apply to several schools before their child secured a place

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Female entrepreneur drawing on whiteboard

Warning over substitution crisis as hundreds of teaching posts remain unfilled

The survey found that almost 290 people with no teaching qualification carried out substitute work in schools up to mid-October

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Parents take children to school. Crowd of happy students walk with family. Mother, father and kids with bags go back to school v

Special education: Number of early intervention classes falls in some counties

New data shows that 18 counties have either seen a reduction or no increase in the number of such classes since 2023

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

A crucifix on a book against the background of a chalkboard

School religious discrimination may still be happening despite law

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance found that religious discrimination in school admissions might still be happening in practice

Tue, 28 Oct, 2025

Inclusive education schemes must go on so more first-generation graduates can change their family stories forever

Inclusive education schemes must go on so more first-generation graduates can change their family stories forever

We have to protect Ireland’s investment in education and the social-mobility programmes that made university accessible to families like mine, writes Cian O'Donnell

Thu, 23 Oct, 2025

Limited subject choices continue to restrict girls' access to Stem subjects, survey finds

Limited subject choices continue to restrict girls' access to Stem subjects, survey finds

The survey carried out by I Wish also found that girls who play sports reported higher confidence in Stem subjects and school life

Tue, 21 Oct, 2025

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Suspensions 'crisis' at Cork special school

The Deirdre O’Shaughnessy Podcast: Suspensions 'crisis' at Cork special school

Opened in 2021, Carrigaline Community Special School issued 17 official suspensions out of a maximum student body of just 48 in three years

Listen | Tue, 14 Oct, 2025

Cork special school planned to cut student days amid ‘critical’ staffing crisis

Cork special school planned to cut student days amid ‘critical’ staffing crisis

St Gabriel’s Special School in Bishopstown says an SNA shortage has created unsafe conditions

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

Empty Classroom Ready For Pupils

Families believe children are being punished for behaviour linked to disabilities, authority warned

Cork special school has issued 17 official suspensions out of a maximum student body of just 48 in three years

Wed, 08 Oct, 2025

Budget 2026: €10 rise in State pension and core welfare rates secured in late night talks

Budget 2026: €10 rise in State pension and core welfare rates secured in late night talks

In childcare, funding will be made available to provide thousands more places through a building blocks scheme which will allow existing services to fund extensions

Tue, 07 Oct, 2025

Budget 2026: Here's what's expected as talks set to go down to the wire

Budget 2026: Here's what's expected as talks set to go down to the wire

Paul Hosford and Louise Burne break down what we are likely to see on Tuesday across each of 12 government departments

Mon, 06 Oct, 2025

female construction apprentice and colleague

Secondary school curriculum 'should include access to apprenticeships'

Ibec tells Oireachtas further and higher education committee there is 'significant scope for improvement' despite growth in apprenticeships

Wed, 01 Oct, 2025

Student health and wellbeing survey

C&AG: Department of education lost €1.3m to enrolment fraud

Schools inflated or overstated enrolment numbers in a bid to retain teachers or have funding increased

Tue, 30 Sep, 2025

Calculating Company Business Expense Invoice And Budgeting

Options 'on the table' to change student capitation grant, cutting annual college fees in budget

Elsewhere, government sources have indicated that, while there may be no imminent public transport fare hikes, it is not off the table into the future

Mon, 29 Sep, 2025

Ofsted inspection report

Only 14% of children with disabilities are thriving in school, survey finds

The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability heard from various representatives

Wed, 24 Sep, 2025

Children's social care sector

Children of all needs must learn together

An inclusive education system lays the basis for respect for all differences, so we cannot continue separating children with special needs from the mainstream

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

A Unifil flag fluttering over Southern Lebanon

Irish Examiner view: United Nations a long way from what is required

Today, the UN looks far from the organisation once described by the second secretary general, Norwegian Trygve Lie, as having been created 'not to bring us to heaven, but to save us from hell'

Tue, 23 Sep, 2025

Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity

Taoiseach: Suspensions 'not the ideal way' of dealing with students in special schools

Speaking in New York, Micheál Martin told the 'Irish Examiner' that it was important that education and training boards become more involved in the provision of special education

Mon, 22 Sep, 2025

School children in classroom

'It wouldn’t be acceptable in a mainstream school, so why should we have to take it?'

Carrigaline Community Special School issued 17 suspensions in three years — with one parent saying most children in the school 'would not understand the concept of suspension'

Mon, 22 Sep, 2025

Little 7 years schoolboy going to school.

Suspensions ‘crisis’ at flagship special school in Cork

One parent says Carrigaline Community Special School — for children from 4 to 18 with a dual diagnosis of autism and intellectual disability — handed out suspensions 'like confetti'

Sun, 21 Sep, 2025

174 researchers apply for Global Talent Ireland as interest surges from US and UK

174 researchers apply for Global Talent Ireland as interest surges from US and UK

The new Global Talent initiative has attracted 174 applications, with strong interest from US, UK, and returning Irish researchers

Wed, 17 Sep, 2025

Graduation stock

College student fees to be cut by up to €500 in Budget 2026

October budget measure comes as 'middle Ireland needs a break' — but second tier of child benefit for lower-income parents ruled out

Mon, 15 Sep, 2025

School stock

Early years education 'will continue to struggle unless staff get pay parity'

Early Childhood Ireland says low pay and poor conditions are pushing educators and graduates to leave the sector, leaving staff vacancy rates of up to 63%

Mon, 15 Sep, 2025

Teacher who had sex with Leaving Cert student struck off for minimum of 30 years

Teacher who had sex with Leaving Cert student struck off for minimum of 30 years

A series of allegations of professional misconduct, which were all proven, related to various times during the 2017/18 school year

Fri, 12 Sep, 2025

Investing in people powers our future through the halo effect

Investing in people powers our future through the halo effect

Further and higher education minister James Lawless explains why research capacity, student support, and aligning skills policy with future industry needs are priorities now

Wed, 10 Sep, 2025