The Minister for Education has announced changes to the timetable for the Leaving Certificate.
Mary Hanafin said students will have less writing in the first few days of the exam as they will sit the two English papers on consecutive days.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio's News at One, Ms Hanafin said almost every student can expect one half-day, or possibly two, in the first three days of the exams.
General Secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland, John White, welcomed the changes.
The union says the improvements are in line with what it had suggested.
The ASTI has said it will be making proposals in relation to how the timetable may be further improved.
