Education controversies in the Republic of Ireland

There have been several educational controversies in the Republic of Ireland.

In 1982 Eileen Flynn, a teacher, was sacked from her teaching post for being pregnant while unmarried.

In 2002, Tomás Ó Dulaing, the headmaster of Gaelscoil Thúlach na nÓg in Dunboyne, County Meath was dismissed after a controversy over religious education in the school. The school is interdenominational, with education in both Catholic and Church of Ireland faiths. Tomás Ó Dulaing arranged for religious education classes to take place outside regular school hours after consulting with parents and management, but the schools patron body objected and the board of management sacked him. He was sacked for mis-conduct following his un authorised letter sent to parents of the children, this dismissal was upheld by the labour court after he withdrew his appeal.

In 2007, controversy broke when a school in Balbriggan was reported to have only black pupils, all Irish-born, leading to accusations of de facto segregation in the school system. Some claimed it was an unintended consequence of the school enrolment policies, others blamed the state failing to plan for growth in the area. Because of the shortage of school places, an Educate Together school that was scheduled to open in 2008 was opened a year ahead of schedule.

During the 2009 Leaving Certificate examination, a school in Drogheda Co. Louth handed out English Paper Two instead of English Paper One. As a result the original date for English Paper Two was reset to the following Saturday with a different, contingency paper.

See Protestant Schools grant controversy.

In June 2010 a student alleged on boards.ie that cheating in the Leaving Certificate exams was happening in her school. The State Examinations Commission confirmed that it was investigating the allegations.

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