The principal of an Ennis Gaelscoil has claimed that some second level schools are making it easy for their students to earn exemptions from having to study Irish.
Students can be exempt from studying Gaeilge for a range of reasons, including when they enroll from abroad and when they have a general learning disability.
And while figures show that while only 1% of primary students avail of these exemptions, nearly 10% of second level students don’t study the language and 15% didn’t take it for the Junior Cert in 2016.
Donal O’hAineféin is Príomhoide at Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Chíosog in Ennis, and is the Cathaoirleach of COGG, a group which caters for Gaeltacht schools and of Gaelscoileanna.
He believes schools are facilitating students in not having to study Irish.
