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Big questions for Ireland: CAO, apprenticeships, and the future of Irish education

Education
Ireland
Started April 17, 2026

The points race, teacher pay, and whether Irish education delivers for all.

How to read these statements

Vote on your current views first. The references in this box are optional background — they are not a test, and we surface more perspectives and analysis after you participate (consensus map and journey recap).

References aim for institutional variety (for example official data, legislatures, international bodies, and independent research). Inclusion is not endorsement; external sites set their own editorial standards.

Your vote records what you think today — you are not expected to read the optional references below first. They explain how we frame statements. After you vote, use Consensus analysis (when it unlocks) and your journey recap for follow-up reading.

Focus on funding, access, and tertiary pathways.

Optional references: Department of Education · Higher Education Authority · CSO — education · OECD — Education at a Glance

Education Policy Institute (international comparator) Eurostat — education UNESCO UIS European Commission — education
Statement — of 7

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CLAIM Posted by will • Apr 18, 2026
Teacher pay in Ireland is too low relative to other graduate professions and must rise to attract and retain talent.
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CLAIM Posted by will • Apr 18, 2026
All state-funded schools should be required to offer the same curriculum regardless of religious ethos.
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CLAIM Posted by will • Apr 18, 2026
Apprenticeships and further education courses should be funded and socially respected at the same level as academic degrees.
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CLAIM Posted by will • Apr 18, 2026
Third-level fees should be abolished and replaced with a graduate contribution collected through the tax system.
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CLAIM Posted by will • Apr 18, 2026
The CAO points race places harmful levels of pressure on teenagers and should be fundamentally reformed.
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CLAIM Posted by will • Apr 18, 2026
Irish schools should teach personal finance, civic education, and media literacy as compulsory core subjects.
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CLAIM Posted by will • Apr 18, 2026
Religious bodies should have no role in determining admissions criteria for state-funded schools.
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