Languages and your family in Dublin: Irish at school and the exemption for children from abroad

Dublin speaks English, if with a bit more craic than back home. But at school there's a second language every child meets: Irish, or Gaeilge.

The short version

• Irish is taught in every school in Ireland, and children who arrive from the UK at primary age normally learn it like everyone else.
• A child educated outside Ireland for at least three consecutive years, without the chance to study Irish, can be exempted if they're 12 or older when they enrol, or enrol after finishing a full primary education abroad [1][2].
• You apply in writing to the principal, who must confirm the decision in writing within 21 school days [1][2]. If refused, you can appeal to the Irish Exemptions Appeals Committee within 30 calendar days [3].
• An exempt student may take another subject, a short course or another area of learning instead, and can still join in Irish-language activities [2].
• Gaelscoileanna teach the whole curriculum through Irish, and are an option for families who want their children to become fluent.

Irish: the second language at school

Irish is the first official language under the Irish Constitution, and it's on the timetable in every primary and post-primary school. For most children in Dublin, that means a daily Irish lesson from junior infants, and Irish as one of the Leaving Certificate subjects most students take.

Some schools, the Gaelscoileanna at primary level and Gaelcholáistí at secondary, teach everything through Irish. They aren't just for Irish-speaking families: plenty of English-speaking Dublin parents choose them, and young children pick up the language remarkably fast.

For a British family, the question is less "will my child learn Irish?" than "should they, and from when?". The answer depends mostly on age.

The exemption for children from abroad

The Department of Education sets the rules in two circulars: 0054/2022 for primary schools and 0055/2022 for post-primary schools [1][2]. Both were issued in August 2022, and at post-primary level exemptions granted under older circulars still apply until the end of a student's post-primary education [4]. Exemptions are only for the "exceptional circumstances" listed in the circulars [3].

Who qualifies as "educated abroad"

Under paragraph 2.2.1 of both circulars, a pupil can be exempted if [1][2]:

1. their education was received outside the State for a minimum of three consecutive years, without the opportunity to study Irish, and
2. they are either not less than 12 years of age on the day they enrol or re-enrol, or enrolling after completing a full course of primary education recognised by another state.

At primary level, a pupil who enrols in the last two months of a school year is treated as enrolling on the first day of the next year [1]. Other grounds in the circulars cover things like significant learning difficulties, but they're separate from the "abroad" route [1][2].

The primary circular also says that, generally, it's in a child's interests to keep studying Irish to at least fifth or sixth class before any exemption [1]. That's a general principle, not one of the conditions for children from abroad.

How it works by age of arrival

The UK year groups don't map neatly onto Irish classes, so "a full course of primary education" is something to confirm with the school when you apply.

How to apply

1. Write to the principal. A parent or guardian applies, or the student if they're 18 or over [3].
2. Bring evidence of your child's schooling outside Ireland, such as UK school reports.
3. Get the decision in writing within 21 school days of the school receiving the application [1][2].
4. Keep the Certificate of Exemption. It's signed and dated by the principal and records which paragraph the exemption is under [1][2]. You'll need it if your child changes school.
5. Appeal if refused, to the Irish Exemptions Appeals Committee, within 30 calendar days of the school's decision. The committee's decision binds the school [3].

Should you use it?

An exemption frees up time for another subject, which can matter for a teenager juggling seven Leaving Cert subjects. But it isn't all-or-nothing. A student can choose not to use an exemption and still keep the right to use it later [2], so there's no harm in getting it and seeing how Irish goes.

One thing to check before you decide: some Irish universities have traditionally required Irish for entry, with a school exemption accepted instead. If your child might apply to one, keep the certificate safe and look at that university's entry rules.

Learning Irish yourself

You won't need Irish to live in Dublin, but you'll see it on road signs, Garda cars and government forms, and you'll hear it at school events. A few words are a nice touch, and helping with homework is easier if you know your "dia dhuit" from your "slán".

Live online lessons in Irish are hard to find. Local adult classes or a local tutor are usually the better route, and apps help with the basics.

Keeping English strong

Bilingual families and partners

Dublin is now a very international city, and many British families have a partner who grew up with Polish, Portuguese, Spanish or another language. Keep the home language going: Irish and English at school plus a family language at home is a lot, but children cope well when each language has its place.

For children whose first language isn't English, schools provide English language support. If your child is new to English, ask the principal what the school offers before they start.

Exams

• IELTS is widely accepted by Irish and UK universities for applicants whose first language isn't English.
• Cambridge English Qualifications, such as B2 First and C1 Advanced, give bilingual teenagers a recognised certificate of their English.
• Professional English for interviews and client work is worth polishing in Dublin's big employers, where English is the working language.

Your first steps

1. Work out your child's position using the "abroad" conditions above [1][2].
2. Apply early if they qualify, so the exemption is in place before subject choices.
3. Visit a Gaelscoil if you're curious about full Irish-medium schooling.
4. Ask other parents in our community group for Brits in Ireland how their kids found Irish.

If you'd rather learn with a live teacher online, our language partner is below.

Sources

1. Department of Education Circular 0054/2022: Exemptions from the study of Irish – primary schools (via INTO)
2. Department of Education Circular 0055/2022: Exemptions from the study of Irish – post-primary schools (via ACCS)
3. gov.ie: Exemption from the study of Irish
4. gov.ie: Circular 0055/2022 – Exemptions from the study of Irish, post-primary

Keep reading

• Irish schools: patronage, Irish exemptions and the Leaving Cert
• Schools in Dublin: British and international schools
• University in Ireland or the UK: fees for Brits
• Moving abroad checklist for Brits