Cost-of-living on home economics exam as Charlie Bird features in Junior Cycle religion 

Journalist Charlie Bird made an appearance on the Junior Cycle RE paper, as did a number of other celebrities including footballer Mohamed Salah and boxer Katie Taylor. Picture: Brian Lawless

The cost-of-living crisis made its way onto the 2023 home economics Leaving Cert paper with a question on restricted budgets, while Junior Cycle religious education (RE) posed topical questions about faith and the planet.

The first day of the State Exams continued this afternoon with the first elective subjects to be examined in 2023.

Adjustments to the higher-level home economics Leaving Cert paper offered students extra choices, according to Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) subject representative Mairead Tompkins, a teacher at Coláiste Eoin Hacketstown, Co Carlow.

While the terminology on the paper was “very easy to interpret”, the questions remained challenging, she believed.

"The well-revised student would have been able to gather information from the relevant syllabus sections and link it all up.” 

Sources of iron consumption were the focus of the lead compulsory question, while a restricted budget was also a focus of question 1.

This was “very topical”, Ms Tompkins said, as students would need to demonstrate here how the nutritional needs of a family are met on a low budget.

“Students' knowledge of own brand products, and cheaper sources of protein such as cheaper cuts of meat, eggs, pulses were called on here."

Leaving Cert students Shauna O'Neill and Juliette Blake from Mount Mercy College, Cork, who sat English Paper 1. Picture: Dan Linehan

The 2023 ordinary level paper, which also had adjustments this year, had similar topics running through its veins, Ms Tompkins said.

“Sustainability, money management and budget along with consumer responsibilities. The compulsory question was straightforward, laid out well and was relevant to the age group as it was asking students to evaluate three different protein bars."

Overall, the well-prepared student should be pleased with the paper, she said. However, she added that two and a half hours is tight to adequately answer.

“It would have been a race to the finish.” 

The higher level home economics paper was “undoubtedly a challenging exam” that presented some tricky questions that required very specific information, according to Studyclix subject expert Linda Dolan, a teacher at Mercy College in Sligo.

“In the short questions, there was a huge emphasis on food processing and the food industry. Another hot topic in both sections was the area of financial planning and management, possibly reflecting our current economic situation.”

The "highly anticipated" question one in Section B was based on sources of iron in Irish teenagers aged 13-18, not carbohydrates or vitamin b as may have been predicted, she added. 

“Overall, the lack of focus on nutrition and food commodities was disappointing and students would definitely have been put through their paces with this paper.” 

Religious education

Today also saw Junior Cycle students examined in RE, the second time the new common-level redesigned paper was examined.

“It is relatively new,” said TUI subject representative Stephen O’Hara. “We don’t have a huge amount of past papers to go on.” 

Overall, it has settled in well, he added. 

“There was a good breath of scope in terms of questions.”

“For the former high achieving higher-level candidate and keeping in mind the ordinary level candidate who struggled, the common level paper has a big scope to cater for, but I think it does it well.

“It gives enough choice and importantly it's always bringing in the multi-world religions' point of view. The major world religions feature strongly as does the non-religious in a number of questions.” 

The paper was also topical, with questions about caring for the earth, he added.

Journalist Charlie Bird made an appearance on the paper, as did a number of other celebrities including footballer Mohamed Salah and boxer Katie Taylor.

Mr O’Hara said: “When young people see people with a profile who have something to say about faith and belief, that keeps RE relevant and something that is living and breathing and relevant for their lives.

“Day one is always a tough day for candidates around the country. There was something for everybody in that paper.”

“It’s a lot of writing, there are a lot of questions there. That in itself is a challenge, to work your way through while keeping an eye on the time.”