Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 December 2025
367. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the mechanisms for students who are taking the Baccalaureate in Ireland to access the CAO; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [70462/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraHigher Education Institutions (HEIs) are administratively and academically independent, and have the right to determine their own criteria and procedures for admission. Neither I nor my Department have a role in the determination or review of these admissions processes.
The CAO is a non-profit private company jointly owned by a number of HEIs. Its function is to process applications for undergraduate and some postgraduate courses on behalf of these HEIs, which are themselves autonomous.
Students who are taking the International Baccalaureate in Ireland may apply to the CAO, like other EU/EFTA/UK applicants presenting examinations other than the Irish Leaving Certificate. A comprehensive entry document outlining the criteria for EU/EFTA/UK applicants to the higher education institutions, presenting examinations other than Irish Leaving Certificate, including the International Baccalaureate, is updated annually and published by the CAO at www2.cao.ie/downloads/documents/2025/Guidelines-EU-EFTA-UK-2025.pdf.
A review of the Leaving Certificate and International Baccalaureate curriculum and examinations across a representative range of subjects was conducted in 2018 by the higher education sector, led by the IUA, TCD and NUI. As a result of this review the CAO points conversion for the International Baccalaureate applicants to Irish higher education institutions was adjusted. Since then, regular statistical equivalency exercises have been undertaken to maintain and review the set of CAO points equivalencies from other EU/EFTA/EEA systems, including the International Baccalaureate. This process is under the authority of the Registrars/VPs Academic of all participating HEIs, who formally approve such equivalencies on behalf of their respective institution.
