As the Deputy will be aware, my department recently published a circular outlining the extension of Irish bonus marks to include all components of State examinations, including additional assessment components (AACs) and coursework. The publication of the circular delivers on a commitment made in the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Implementation Support Measures document published in May 2025. This was subsequently reiterated in an Information Note to schools communicated in August 2025.
The extension of bonus marks set out in the Circulars applies to all students taking their Leaving Certificate examinations in 2027 and in subsequent years. The existing Irish bonus marks policy, as set out under Rule 29 of the ‘Rules and Programmes for Secondary Schools 2004/2005’, continues to apply for students sitting their written examinations this year, in 2026.
The extension coincides with the examination of the first Tranche of revised subjects as part of Senior Cycle Redevelopment which are currently being studied by fifth years and will be examined for the first time in 2027.
Circular 002/2026 acknowledges the value of the AACs in each subject and their intended integration into the teaching and learning experienced by students. It also recognises that a number of subjects within Tranche 1 which are taken by very significant numbers of students that were previously examined solely by written examination now have coursework components with a significant weighting. In these circumstances, it is considered appropriate to include coursework components completed in Irish for the first time. Also, to not do so would reduce the efficacy of the current Irish bonus marks policy in those subjects.
From 2027 onwards, the extension will apply to all coursework, in all subjects – not just those in Tranche 1 with an AAC of a minimum 40%. This is to ensure students in that cohort and each subsequent cohort are not disadvantaged by their respective subject choices. The extension of Irish bonus marks does not apply to earlier cohorts, including 2026, as those annual cohorts will not engage with AACs introduced under Senior Cycle Redevelopment in the same way as those from 2027 will do so.
All students completing their Leaving Certificate in each respective year are being treated in the same fashion as any other student in the given year.
The State Examinations Commission has also recently published circular S10/26 ‘Application of the Irish Bonus in State Examinations’, outlining the operational dimensions of the policy change including the applicable criteria and parameters relating to the awarding of the bonus marks.
I note the Deputy refers to injustice to some students but without specifying the nature of or in what way such an injustice might arise. All students completing their Leaving Certificate in each respective year are being treated in the same fashion as any other student in the given year.
The rationale for the extension of bonus marks to coursework is as I set out above. Critically, were the extension not made now, it would significantly dilute the benefit of the bonus in the first instance.
It does not apply to earlier cohorts, including 2026, as those annual cohorts will not engage with additional components under Senior Cycle Redevelopment in the same way as those in 2027 will do so.
In regard to students in the Leaving Certificate 2026 cohort, the completion dates for coursework in some subjects have already passed. In that instance, for example, were it the case that Circular 002/2026 was to be extended to Leaving Certificate 2026; those students taking subjects where coursework has already been completed could not receive any bonus marks (including those applicable to the written examinations) as it is a requirement of the Circular that both the coursework and written examination be completed through Irish.
In that circumstance, students in the 2026 cohort could be treated differently to each other based solely on their subject choices made two years ago. It must also be acknowledged that the Leaving Certificate Established and Leaving Certificate Applied are both two-year programmes. The introduction of significant changes to the Irish bonus marks policy, mid-way through students’ final year as they are preparing for their examinations in June, would also raise significant issues in relation to fairness and equity.
My department has a long-standing policy of encouraging the active use of the Irish language by all students and in all school communities. The extension of the Irish bonus marks builds on this objective, encouraging the use of the Irish language by all learners, in all schools.
The application of the Irish Bonus will be reviewed as subjects are redeveloped under the redevelopment programme.
