Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 July 2026
145. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work being carried out in his Department to further streamline cross-Border further and higher education anomalies, including the recognition of awards and the engagement by the CAO system with students from the North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49775/26]
View answerMy Department continues to engage with the higher education sector on measures to support North-South student mobility and to address barriers which may affect students seeking to pursue higher education across the island of Ireland.
Officials from my Department have engaged extensively with the Irish Higher Education sector on the issue of alignment between points awarded on the CAO system to students from Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The current CAO scoring arrangements show reasonable alignment between A Level and Leaving Certificate scores, with a slight advantage, based on the proportion of students attaining certain scores, to students who have taken A Levels. This reflects a revision to the scoring of A and A* levels in 2025 to ensure an appropriate alignment between A-Level and Leaving Certificate achievement.
Measures have already been undertaken to increase information and support to Northern Irish students considering study in Ireland, including a dedicated page on the CAO website to advise those with A Levels of the application process. CAO representatives also participate in the annual conferences of Northern Irish Career Advisers.
My Department continues to engage with higher education stakeholders on measures that may further support student mobility from Northern Ireland. While admissions policies are a matter for autonomous higher education institutions, officials continue to explore what further measures could be taken to encourage and facilitate Northern Irish students who wish to study in Irish higher education institutions.
The Minister for the Economy, Dr. Caoimhe Archibald, and I remain in regular communication on these matters, and will continue to work together to support greater North-South collaboration and student mobility in further and higher education.
