The Government is continuing to break its own rules on appointments to state boards, with the majority of positions filled by people selected by ministers without going through a public advertisement process.

Ireland is in the middle of a huge de-leveraging process at all levels.

Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn has expressed concerns about the Leaving Cert exam.

The Teachers' Union of Ireland has stated that its members will be expecting more pay if the new Junior Cert system leads to their workload being increased.

The National Ploughing Championships, gangland killings, and the murder of Jill Meagher in Australia were the main news events catching the eyes of students in the past week.

SCIENCE teachers are seeking clarification on how the banning of dangerous chemicals from schools will impact on next year’s Junior and Leaving Cert exams.

Human error has been blamed for mistakes in two separate State exams, it emerged today.

ALMOST 56,000 students will receive their Leaving Certificate results at schools around the country tomorrow.

THE percentage of university students getting first-class honours has almost doubled since 1997.

A transsexual today won a landmark case to have her new name changed from male to female on her Leaving Cert exam certificate.

THE gardaí will remain immune from the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, an Oireachtas committee heard yesterday.

The high number of students receiving top grades in the Leaving Cert has reportedly sparked fears about the “dumbing down” of the exam system.

A STUDENT with dyslexia has had his request for Leaving Cert exam concessions turned down despite a psychologist’s report saying he should qualify.