Two new subjects are being added to the Leaving Certificate curriculum.
Drama, film and theatre studies, and climate action and sustainable development will be available for students in 100 schools from September 2025.
A total of 57 schools have been selected to introduce Drama, Film and Theatre Studies, while 43 schools will offer Climate Action and Sustainable Development from the start of the next academic year.
It is part of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme and it is aimed at students who might not fit the mould of more traditional subjects.
Minister for Education Norma Foley said: "Many students...do not see themselves reflected in [the] senior cycle experience.
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"They absolutely do not, and we have really, really talented, creative, artistic students, and they're not reflected.
"And the interests of students, for example, around climate action and sustainability are not reflected sufficiently either.
"So this is an opportunity not just to reflect the talent and skills and interests of our young people, but to validate them, so that a student who takes drama film and theatre studies or takes climate action and sustainability, that their achievement in education is on a similar par of the student who takes science or languages or whatever. So it's a very positive step forward."
Asked if there would be enough teachers to deliver the subjects, Ms Foley said: "We've had great enthusiasm from the schools in terms of the supports that would have to come from the department we would be rolling out in this school year in advance of September '25.
"In terms of the credentials of the staff, they are second to none from what we've seen already.
"In terms of the schools that applied to be part of this process, we were absolutely blown away by the qualifications of the staff to put themselves forward, by their enthusiasm and their interest and by their experience.
"Some of them are coming with masters in the particular disciplines, whether it's in terms of climate action, or whether it's in terms of drama, film and theatre, there has been no shortage of staff willing to step forward here."
Ms Foley said there will be additional allocations going into the schools, with four hours made available in the first year and eight in the second year.
She added: "We really, really want this to work. And we'll also be ensuring that the equipment that is required, that all schools will have an opportunity to have a level playing pitch there as well."
Additional assessment components
Each of the two new subjects will include additional assessment components (also known as AACs) that are not a traditional written examination, which will be worth at least 40% of the available marks and will be externally assessed by the State Examinations Commission.
The AAC in climate action and sustainable development consists of an action project, worth 40% of the available marks, which provides students with an opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the concepts and principles they have learned throughout the course, while also employing the practical strategies in the area of climate action and sustainable development.
The AAC in drama, film and theatre studies consists of a creativity in practice project in which students will develop and create a piece of film or theatre, along with the relevant pre-production materials.
The creativity in practice project will be worth 50% of the available marks in the subject.
The two new subjects will be introduced in schools on a phased basis from the start of the 2025/26 school year.
