Emma O Kelly

Education Correspondent

22% of pupils absent for more than 20 days last year

Over a fifth (22%) of primary school children were absent from school for more than 20 schooldays in 2023/24.

Ireland • 21 hrs

Helen McEntee speaks at a Dublin primary school with a damp ceiling

School ceiling tells own story on the state of schools

On Monday, as Minister for Education Helen McEntee stood at a podium in a Dublin primary school to launch the State's new and ambitious primary school curriculum, it was difficult to ignore the smell of damp that pervaded the hall, and the state of the ceiling above her head.

Education • 22 hrs

Dept asked to engage with schools on how to reduce costs

Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee has asked her department to engage with schools to find out exactly what their costs are with a view to finding ways in which they can be reduced.

Education • 12 hrs

New primary school curriculum to be phased in

Details of a new primary school curriculum, to be phased in from next year across every primary and special school in the country, will be published today.

Education • 23 Sep

Malak Alsweirki stands in front of the campanile in Trinity

'I have survivor's guilt' - student from Gaza in Dubin

Ireland is to the fore in managing to evacuate students from the war zone in Gaza.

Ireland • 20 Sep

Turkish Airlines flight with Gazan students lands in Dublin Airport

Second group of Gazan students arrive in Ireland to study

A second group of students from Gaza have arrived in Ireland this morning to begin their studies at four universities here.

Ireland • 19 Sep

Parents seeking places for the academic year 2026/2027 will need to be in touch with the National Council for Special Education before 1 October

Parents told of 1 Oct deadline for special school places

Parents seeking school places for children with special educational needs for next September have been urged to contact the National Council for Special Education before 1 October to alert it to their needs.

Education • 17 Sep

How strikes impacted life in Ireland's largest school

Staff at Gorey Community School, Ireland's largest school, outline how the strike by secretaries and caretakers had been impacting them.

Analysis and Comment • 06 Sep

Caretakers and secretaries at a picket outside St Vincent dePaul Infant primary school in Dublin

Fórsa declines invitation to talks on strike

The Fórsa trade union has declined an invitation to return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) for talks to resolve the school secretaries and caretakers dispute.

Ireland • 04 Sep

A woman holds up a Forsa sign on the picket line at a strike in Dublin

Students unable to attend school in Gorey due to strike

At the largest school in the country, half of its students have been unable to attend this week or last as their school attempts to manage the impact of the school secretaries and caretakers strike.

Ireland • 03 Sep