The Irish Times view on Leaving Cert reforms: AI must be taken seriously
Leaving Certificate
later this year.
The changes, due to be introduced for all students entering the senior cycle this September, will see nine new or revised subjects incorporating research projects worth 40 per cent of overall marks, a radical shift from the traditional reliance on written end-of-year exams.
Secondary teachers' unions will conduct ballots in the coming weeks on whether to accept the package proposed by the Government to ease the introduction of the reforms. These include pay increases, permanent contracts for new teachers and the creation of additional middle-management positions.
The
Teachers' Union of Ireland
has recommended acceptance, but the
Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland
has made no recommendation. Further votes on industrial action are expected should the proposals be rejected.
READ MORE
These reforms have long been sought by educationalists who believe the current Leaving Cert is too rigid, places excessive pressure on students and encourages rote learning rather than critical thinking. Some supporters of the changes will undoubtedly be frustrated that the concerns expressed by the unions might lead to delays.
There is merit, however, to some of the criticisms of the timing and manner in which the reforms are being introduced.
Particular concern centres on use by students of
artificial intelligence
(AI). Generative AI tools already produce work that achieves high grades at postgraduate level. AI detection tools are unreliable and a thriving market has sprung up for software that makes detection impossible.
It would be a tragic irony if reforms that are supposed to encourage individual development and independent thinking were to be undermined by a technology that bypasses exactly those human qualities. Minister for Education
Helen McEntee
should take teachers' concern seriously and engage further with them on the issue.
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Irish Times
22 minutes ago
- Irish Times
‘Raising my son in Dublin, I believed there was nowhere safer or more welcoming'
The riots in Dublin on November 23rd, 2023 jolted Ireland awake, sending shockwaves through communities and prompting anxious calls from relatives abroad, all seeking answers from a country renowned for its friendliness and peace. Having called Ireland home for 25 years, I've witnessed the warmth and openness that define Irish society. When I first arrived from India in my mid-20s, I was struck by how strangers would go out of their way to help, sometimes even walking me to my destination. Over time, my initial caution faded and many Irish friends became as close as family. Raising my son in Dublin , I believed there was nowhere safer or more welcoming; he grew up feeling no different from his Irish peers. But the aftermath of the riots brought a sudden, unwelcome shift. The day after, when I picked up my son from college, his Irish friends escorted him to my car, protective and wary. For the first time in 21 years, my son felt 'different', and his friends feared for the safety of their friend because of those differences. This wasn't what I knew Ireland to be. I refuse to accept the riots as an expression of true Irish sentiment. Instead, they seemed a case of opportunistic hooliganism, not racist intent. Through it all, most Irish people have stood against hate, reinforcing the values of kindness, inclusion and solidarity that make Ireland a truly special place to live and grow. Sohini De In recent years, Ireland has faced a troubling rise in racial attacks within its communities. For the longest time, few incidents were reported. Reliable statistics on racial attacks are hard to find, as such incidents remain largely unreported. Within the Indian community at least, I know they have an attitude of 'let us not draw too much attention'. Lately, the scale and frequency of attacks have stirred fresh anxieties, echoing abroad as loved ones question whether Ireland is still as safe and welcoming as it once felt. READ MORE [ 'Widespread media coverage in India' of attacks on Indian people living in Ireland Opens in new window ] The incident in Tallaght on July 19th - when a man in his early 40s, who had arrived from India three weeks earlier on a critical skills visa to join a leading international tech company in Dublin, was brutally attacked by a group of teenagers - was a stark reminder of this shift. Yet the courage shown by local resident Jennifer Murray, who not only assisted at the scene but also defended the victim against false claims, showcased the true Ireland — one that steps up for those in need rather than amplifying hateful, misinformed narratives fuelled by social media. Jennifer Murray, who came to the aid of an Indian man attacked in Tallaght, meets attendees of the United Against Racism and Dublin South-West Together demonstration against racism last month. Photograph: Dan Dennison The overwhelming majority continue to stand firmly against these acts, determined to uphold the country's values of inclusion and kindness. 'Not under my watch', many now say, drawing a line against intolerance. Ireland's story has always been one of welcoming immigrants , who now play an essential role as skilled workers, taxpayers and contributors to society and the economy. [ 'He kept saying: what wrong have I done? Why me?' An Indian man is left stripped and bloodied on an Irish street Opens in new window ] Still, a worrying minority use social media to fuel divisive and dangerous stories. The real issue is not the number or size of such incidents, but the principle: a respected doctor who has served this country for three decades, when told to 'go back to where you came from' by strangers, can be deeply demoralised. Every person deserves to go about their life in Ireland without fear. Defending this right and maintaining Ireland's spirit of solidarity is more vital now than ever. Ireland today faces a moment of reflection and action. The nation's increasing diversity is a testament to its growth — more cultures, languages and backgrounds enrich everyday life. Yet this very progress comes with challenges that require careful stewardship from all corners of society. Our educational institutions are admirable examples of inclusion, creating environments where students from every background thrive together. Still, the question stands: how do we extend this culture of learning and belonging beyond the classroom, into homes, neighbourhoods and the digital spaces where so many of our opinions are formed? Likewise, public and private organisations recognise the value of skilled migrant workers, both in bridging labour gaps and strengthening the fabric of our communities. Recent events have made clear that more, not less, must be done to support integration and mutual understanding. [ Gardaí struggle to reassure Indian community amid spate of high-profile attacks Opens in new window ] My engagement with both local Irish and migrant communities has revealed a host of practical steps that, taken together, could help Ireland confidently navigate the challenges we face. First and foremost, there's an urgent need to increase Garda presence, not just in Dublin, but nationwide. This isn't about heavy-handed policing —it's about deterring hate crimes and responding swiftly if they occur. But more gardaí alone won't solve everything. They need specialised training to recognise and address hate-driven incidents, while also working closely with IT experts and social media platforms to keep a vigilant eye on online hate speech and take appropriate actions. Transparency matters too, so regular updates on hate crime cases, within the bounds of privacy laws, will reassure the public, keep authorities accountable and deter miscreants. There are practical steps that can be taken to help Ireland navigate the challenges we face. Photograph: Alan Betson It's vital we run nationwide campaigns that celebrate the contributions migrants make to our economy and society. Business chambers can lend their influential voices to the cause, for further impact. Victims should be given easy access to counselling, legal support and safe reporting channels. Community engagement is also key — migrants joining local events, GAA clubs and neighbourhood projects enriches us all. The Indian community, among others, brings valuable expertise in Stem, digital literacy and sport. Open community events and skill-sharing programmes can foster positive connections. Most importantly, we need a clear framework for action, using national strategies such as the national action plan against racism to guide us. With collective effort, Ireland can rise above today's fears and build a future where inclusion is more than a promise — it's a way of life. While we are rightly worried about the recent developments, I have hope that in Ireland we will do the right thing. The majority of Ireland is peace-loving - a friendly place that wants to remain so. But we cannot rest on our laurels and let things get out of hand. By fostering collaboration between government, businesses and migrant communities Ireland can strengthen inclusion and diversity. Structured action plans, community engagement and educational initiatives empower migrants to contribute meaningfully, while promoting nationwide understanding of their positive impact. Together, through these efforts we build a more vibrant, inclusive and resilient Irish society for all. Sohini De is a businesswoman and mother who left India for Ireland in 2000.
RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Academic row over 'temperature neutrality' vs 'climate neutrality'
Ireland's national climate objective is set out in the 2015 Climate Act. It is to "pursue and achieve" and make the transition to "a climate resilient, biodiversity rich, environmentally sustainable and climate neutral economy" by the year 2050. There are massive commitments packed into that single sentence, yet it is not really clear what precisely it means. Ireland's climate scientists are now fighting over that issue. The first bit is OK - climate resilience. We are going to have intense rain, more frequent and violent storms, bigger droughts and greater heat stress. Resilience means preparing to live with that. The biodiversity bit is OK too. Protecting nature is not hard to understand and most people would sign up for that. The third term – "environmentally sustainable". Some people think "sustainability" on its own is a bit of a wishy-washy term. But environmental sustainability is now commonly understood. Committees have been set up to focus on it in workplaces and communities all over the country. But that last phrase in the national climate objective, the commitment to a "climate neutral economy". That is a different ball game altogether. There is no agreement about what this entails, and a big academic row has now broken out among climate scientists about it. They are at loggerheads over what exactly climate neutrality is and how it should be measured. On one side is the Climate Change Advisory Council. This is the independent statutory body of climate experts that advises the Government about climate matters. It is their job to set Ireland's so-called "carbon budgets". This involves calculating how much cumulative greenhouse gas emissions need to be restricted to, every five years, if the country is to stay within its legally binding climate commitments. A huge amount of data and information, and some very important judgement calls, are needed for their calculations. The data and information parts are complicated but straightforward enough. Judgement calls however, are never straight forward and can be very controversial, as they are in this case. This week, a group of climate scientists took a major swipe at a most important judgement call recently made by the Climate Change Advisory Council when setting Ireland's carbon budget for the years 2031 to 2035. They accused the council of choosing to define climate neutrality in a way that confers a competitive advantage on Irish agriculture. Their complaint, which is a serious one, is that the Government's key climate advisers are choosing now, for the first time, to substitute "temperature neutrality" for "climate neutrality" when calculating Ireland's carbon budget. It means the Climate Change Advisory Council has told the Government it is OK to only ensure that by 2050 Ireland causes no additional warming to the earth's atmosphere. This is not the same as delivering "net zero" emissions from Ireland by 2050 which is much harder to achieve. The "net zero" approach puts the key emphasis on the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions. It requires, among other things, enormous changes in farming practices, forestry and land use to ensure that absolutely all greenhouse gases still coming out of Ireland by 2050 are re-absorb by natural processes here. Of course, the alternative "temperature neutrality" approach, now favoured by the Climate Change Advisory Council, aims to do everything possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But the difference with this approach is that the ultimate emphasis is to ensure the contribution Ireland is making to rising global temperatures is zero by 2050. The council explained that it considered multiple definitions of what climate neutrality means before deciding that, for Ireland in particular, it had to mean ensuring temperature neutrality. It also explained that in making this judgement call, it reflected on the national climate objective and was guided by the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. It said the Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goal - which is to limit global warming to well below 2C and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5˚C - was also key in its deliberations. Ireland produces nine times more beef and dairy output than it consumes. Because of this it has an unusual greenhouse gas emissions profile, with a far higher share of methane emissions than most other countries. New Zealand is similar. But there are not many other places in the developed world where agriculture is so dominant. Methane from agriculture is an enormously potent greenhouse gas. It is capable of trapping about 85 times more heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a short time frame. After about 10 years however, methane dissipates. It breaks down and disappears from the atmosphere. So, its impact on global temperature ceases in a few short years while the warming effect of carbon dioxide carries on for several hundred years. All this means that a country with a huge agriculture sector can have an outsized impact in terms of limiting global warming by doing a relatively small amount of methane reduction. It gives it more wriggle room if the main aim is to eliminate a nation's contribution to rising global temperature. In some circumstances it could even enable a country to ease up on carbon emission efforts in sectors outside of agriculture and still ensure a lower contribution to the global warming potential of its national greenhouse gas mix. It turns out that this is precisely the impact the Climate Change Advisory Council's adaptation of the temperature neutrality target has for Ireland. The council itself has gone to some length to explain and document this impact. It calculated that aiming for temperature neutrality instead of net zero emissions will enable Ireland to emit an additional nine million tonnes of greenhouse gases during the first five years of the next decade. It also said it is entirely up to the Government to decide which sectors of the economy can share in that additional climate mitigation wriggle room, and by how much. Its carbon budget proposal document says all this will be fine "provided the rest of the world follows an emissions pathway that can be considered compliant with the Paris Agreement long term temperature goals". In essence what they are saying is that since most countries in the world do not have as large an agriculture sector as Ireland, or New Zealand, they are unlikely to choose the same temperature neutrality approach. That is because there is no advantage for them in doing so. And if that remains the case then all will be well. It is an approach that has startled the critics who have specifically highlighted the polar opposite argument – that it would be a disaster if every country followed Ireland and adopted temperature neutrality as their climate target. The dissenters insist it would seriously jeopardise the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5˚C. These criticisms are outlined in a paper published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, by Dr Colm Duffy and David Styles of University of Galway, Dr Róisín Moriarty and Professor Hannah Daly of University College Cork, and Carl Doedens and Malte Meinshausen of the University of Melbourne. They claim that Ireland's approach rewards modest cuts in methane emissions and serves to protect what they describe as "methane emissions privileges" at the expense of poorer nations. In doing so, they say it locks in current inequalities in the global food system. Their paper highlights that, by enabling Ireland to maintain a high share of global agriculture emissions, adopting the temperature neutrality target undermines the global transition to a sustainable and equitable food system. They note too that it dramatically reduces the level of ambition needed for overall greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Many might argue that the additional wriggle room it provides of nine million tonnes of emissions for Ireland spread out over a nine-year period does not sound particularly dramatic. However, if lots of countries were to benefit from the same approach the impact could become dramatic very quickly.
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
Irish abroad returning home: ‘It's been hard ... I didn't probably know the Ireland I was coming back to'
Ireland has undergone huge changes over the last number of decades. From the legalising of divorce, same-sex marriage and abortion , to boom and bust economics, increasing immigration, a housing crisis and the impact of the Covid pandemic, people living here have witnessed enormous social shifts. For Ireland's returning expats, however, home can look very different to the one they remember. The most recent figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) show that, in the year up to April 2024, 30,000 Irish citizens returned to our shores for various reasons, in some cases after many years abroad. So, what do these recent returnees make of the Ireland of today? Is there really no place like home? Or does it even feel like home any more? We spoke to four people who made the move back in recent years. READ MORE Kate Gleeson (39) from Waterford returned to Ireland from London in 2024 when her father became ill. She had been in London for nine years and also lived there for a time in the early 2000s. As a gay woman, Kate initially found it easier to live in London. 'because it's a bigger city'. She said: 'In that perspective, I found it easier to be who I was, because there was less judgment around. I felt in Waterford, everyone knew me and I was always scared that eyes would be on me and they'd be judging me. It was still very taboo here at the time.' Now, things are completely different. 'I probably feel safer here than I do back there, to be honest.' This, she says, is due to having lived in an area where she encountered people with a 'negative outlook on the LGBT community'. She feels these views stem from their religious beliefs. 'I wouldn't feel as safe walking down the high road holding my girlfriend's hand, because I know that I would probably get a few tuts and a few sighs over there.' Still, Kate loved the 'anonymity' of London. She has a close group of friends there and admits she has found adjusting to living in Ireland again 'very hard'. 'When I used to walk into town years ago, I'd know 10 people in the space of five minutes. Now I don't know anyone.' Kate Gleeson feels safer back at home in Waterford after nine years in London, but it has been a big adjustment. Photograph: Patrick Browne She notes the increased number of non-nationals living in Waterford, saying it 'doesn't bother me in the slightest'. 'I think it's a natural progression in this world and that's how it should be. We've been taken in all over the world, why shouldn't we take people in?' However, she thinks 'the community spirit ... that we used to have is gone', adding: 'You don't have people knocking on your door any more, like you used to – 'hi, I'm just calling for a tea or a coffee'. People have to ring you in advance and it's kind of 'I might come around on Tuesday next week'.' People say a passing hello, but don't stop for a chat in the same way as before, she observes. Some good things remain, though. After her father died recently, she says the enduring traditions around the way Irish people treat death continues to be a comfort to the bereaved. Kate works for a charity remotely. She is not certain she will stay in Ireland. Healthcare is a factor. She was diagnosed with a 'neurological muscle condition a couple of years ago'. 'And I get free treatment in London, like everyone else does', on the National Health Service (NHS). [ Are home-buying grants available to us as returning emigrants? Opens in new window ] She also points to the housing crisis here and her difficulty finding somewhere to rent. All of which has her wondering if leaving Ireland again is the only option. Alan Gleeson (no relation to Kate) is 51. He moved home to Cork in September 2024 after 25 years in Britain. Returning to Cork after 25 years in London, Alan Gleeson admits to feeling like something of an outsider. Photograph: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision As a younger man, he went to London on a graduate programme following his commerce degree, before working in digital marketing. He lived in suburban London with his wife and children. 'There was a local GAA club two minutes away that the kids would have played for, so it's quite an Irish feel to the area,' he said. 'Obviously London is very cosmopolitan, but there's a nice Irish feeling too, in terms of a bit of a community.' Alan returned to Ireland for a mixture of reasons. 'We were both working remotely ... And then quality of life and being close to family were probably the main drivers in returning.' He admits to finding Cork 'quite different to the Cork we left, even though we'd have been back a bit over the years'. He says: 'You partly feel an outsider when you're in the UK. But then you're partly an outside when you come back ... We have to rediscover things and we're out of the loop.' He observes Cork to be a very 'busy' city now. 'Very cosmopolitan, as well. Lots of young people, lots of energy. You've got great choices of restaurants. The kids were looking for Lebanese one night, like you would do in west London, and we found one, which you certainly wouldn't have done a few years ago.' Alan is happy with his decision to come home but adds: 'You'll always miss London. It's a very vibrant city, but then we're fortunate it's so close.' The LGBT communities, they are accepted in Pakistan. They're part of the culture — Sister Rebecca Conlon He thinks there has been a change in the sense of community that he remembers, suggesting it 'probably isn't as strong' as before. He admits there has been a lot to arrange. 'When you do first come back, there's an awful lot of jobs to do that are hidden. You're trying to get schools sorted ... get housing sorted. In my case, keep clients.' He's a consultant who helps tech companies grow. 'We definitely miss it, but we're very happy to be back in Ireland.' Sister Rebecca Conlon (78), from Clare , returned to Ireland in 2023 having lived and worked as a missionary in Pakistan for 33 years. She is now living in Dublin . 'I loved it,' she says of Pakistan . 'No place like it'. Sister Rebecca Conlon returned to an unrecognisable Ireland after 33 years as a missionary in Pakistan Sr Rebecca is an occupational therapist. She worked in a psychiatric hospital and a women's jail. 'The Christians are a minority. They are oppressed,' she says. 'We started a tuition centre specifically for Christians. Education for our Christian community over the years was not a value as such, because you needed food on the table.' She was in her 40s when she left Ireland and found it to have changed 'drastically' on her return. 'Somebody said one time that a missionary, you've no place. You're a stranger in your father's house ... You've missed out on all the years of growing up in Ireland, of working in Ireland.' She compares it to feeling like a stranger 'in your own culture'. Sr Rebecca explains her life in Pakistan prepared her for some changes. 'One thing about all of that, is we that we lived with the people. And the people have the same problems. The LGBT communities, they are accepted in Pakistan. They're part of the culture. [ When you return home to Ireland from abroad, you notice that everyone is a little changed Opens in new window ] 'Being a missionary, and in such a volatile situation, life was a mess all the time. Life is an absolute mess and you just try to get on with it and accompany people in their mess and our mess and the whole lot.' What did she make of changes such as divorce, marriage equality and repealing the eighth amendment? 'Ireland wanted it,' she replies. She hasn't 'adjusted yet', to being home. 'I'm trying to navigate my road really and truly. When I go into town, I feel very attracted to go over and talk to the Muslims at their table in front of the GPO. Because we had such a good experience as a group of Islam I've come back here now with a feel for these people. I've been changed.' Reflecting her experience of what Ireland used to be like, she says of Islam: 'we were afraid of it'. Ireland feels very different now, she says, 'but I also see the problem of housing and I appreciate what's going on, the struggle and the pain on both sides. On the Irish side and on the migrant side'. She finds it difficult to witness some of the more negative responses to immigrants, although she adds: 'The influx was too much at one time, I would believe.' [ This homesickness is not a yearning for return but rather for reconnection Opens in new window ] The hardest thing for her to adjust to, since her return, is the loss of young people to the Church. She has been sad to see the fall-off in faith in Ireland, but has hope for the future. Ireland has become 'more international, with all the travel,' she says. 'The emigration of the young professionals ... that to me is a huge lacuna in carrying on anything from the past.' Richard King, project manager at Crosscare Migrant Project , says it can be a challenge for those returning to Ireland to find that their friends and previous networks have moved on significantly in life. People leave Ireland having friends they can easily socialise with at night and the weekend, he explains, and then return 'to people who've got kids, they are carers, they've got jobs. And that reintegration of lifestyle can be very different'. Richard King of Crosscare Migrant Project says having a job to come home to can make the settling-in process much more manageable He suggests that if possible, people 'test the waters a little bit' by returning for a period that is more than 'just a holiday'. He points to the excitement of short holidays, during which people living here will make themselves available to meet because those living abroad are home for a short while, as opposed to the full return reality – 'well now you're here we're not going to be dropping everything to head out and do stuff'. He also explains that how people feel about the return can depend on whether they returned by choice or as a result of changed circumstances. It takes a good few years to get used to it, but I think we're just probably culturally more Australian than Irish — Breda* When it comes to emotional preparations 'there are great online support groups and networks out there', he advises. 'In terms of the practicalities ... very, very strongly lean on whatever family and friend networks you have to try to get accommodation and things like that sorted in advance. 'Returning with a structure in place, like returning to a job ... automatically creates the structure in your life that helps you do the other things.' Breda*, who is in her 40s and lives in a rural area, left Ireland when she was 26. She met her Irish husband in Australia and lived there for 15 years before moving home four years ago with him and their children. 'It's been pretty hard,' she says. 'We didn't probably know what we were coming back to as much. I read the papers ... so I knew what was going on. But it's very different when you live here, as to what to expect. 'It takes a good few years to get used to it, but I think we're just probably culturally more Australian than Irish.' Many of the things Breda considers important now that she's a parent weren't on her radar, she explains, during her early years in Australia. 'In your 20s, you don't care about healthcare. You don't care about anything. You really don't think of much else other than your salary and going out for the week. So we didn't probably know what we were coming back to as much.' Living overseas gave her an insight into 'how different societies function,' she says, adding she never realised 'how much of a nation of rule breakers we are in Ireland'. She feels a lack of services in Ireland means 'everyone's in it for themselves ... Everyone has to fight to get something they should be able to access, like proper healthcare and the likes. Everyone calls in favours. There's no such thing as meritocracy. Everyone's skipping the queue and pushing everyone else's waiting back'. [ Brianna Parkins: I'm the one who sought a life elsewhere, who am I to feel homesick? Opens in new window ] 'This is why we can't have nice things in this country. We can't because no one follows the rules.' In Australia, Breda says she could access healthcare with relative ease. She adds of Ireland: 'We got a rental because we knew someone. That means someone else who is desperate for a rental didn't get it. We came back in a housing crisis. We haven't been able to purchase a house, we've been cut off so many times from other people that it's hopeless now. And moving to Dublin is hopeless.' Breda and her husband commute to work. 'There is no commuter train that gets us into an office for nine o'clock in the morning. There is no road infrastructure to get there ... All the companies are around Dublin, Cork and the likes, generally, so it has impacted your professional choices. I'd really like if I worked part-time around the kids. But that flexibility isn't available. You see corporates talking about how everyone has to come back into the office now.' Breda says they have decided to return to Australia later this year. 'My husband and I both worry excessively about our ageing parents [in Ireland]. It's a real concern. 'Australia's not perfect. It's just that we had curated a life that was pretty close to it ... and we hadn't realised you can't create that everywhere.' *Name has been changed
