Extra Time in State Exams for Students with Dyslexia and Dyscalculia: Motion
Seanad Éireann — 2025-11-12
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Pauline Tully (SF), Cultural and Educational Panel

There is nothing in this motion I could not support. It is something we discussed in the committee on education and youth just over a month ago. At that committee meeting, Dyslexia Ireland and the State Examinations Commission were present. The State Examinations Commission indicated it is not a question of if but when. It is very frustrating that it is such a slow pace of change. Dyslexia Ireland has been calling for years for additional time for students with dyslexia. It is the norm in many other countries, where the average is 25% extra time. Some countries give 33% or up to 50% extra. Students are stressed enough going in to sit the junior or leaving certificate as it is. If they have dyslexia, they have had to put in a lot of additional time and effort to learn because it is much more difficult for them. Then, when they get in, they do not get the opportunity to display what they have learned. None of them have enough time to finish their exams. It is very unfair.
When Dyslexia Ireland saw the terms of reference the State Examinations Commission was using for the review of reasonable accommodations, it indicated that there was no representation from people with dyslexia. That is quite concerning. We have the UNCRPD, which says nothing about us without us. People with different additional needs should have been involved in that process. Sive O'Brien appeared at the education committee. When I asked her when she was diagnosed as dyslexic, she told me it was when she was 12. We need a process where children are diagnosed much earlier and students are helped to understand what dyslexia is as well as getting supports. She just felt she was not good at reading and writing. She did not understand what this condition was or what it meant for her.
It is important that we try to diagnose earlier. The fact that one in ten students is deemed to be dyslexic means most classrooms will have students who have dyslexia. Teachers need to be able to identify and support those students. It needs to mandatory in teacher training that they recognise what dyslexia is and are able to identify it and support students. Perhaps an additional qualification in special educational needs or dyslexia is required. Schools have reported that sometimes they look for advice on dyslexia and get different advice from different agencies. We need to look at what dyslexia is and what supports should be available and ensure there is common ground across NEPS, the NCSE and so on. I am often asked about special reading schools and special classes, of which there are some but not enough. There are very long waiting lists. There is an unequal geographical spread. Some children who really need those supports will never have the opportunity to avail of them. Can that be looked at? For students studying Irish, I know a change is being implemented in how Irish is taught, which is welcome, but there are lots of students with dyslexia who would love to be able to speak the language and can speak the language. Sive O'Brien went to a Gaelscoil in primary school and could speak Irish but then found it very difficult to learn the grammar in school. There should be additional supports for students to keep up Irish and not just look for the exemption from studying it. We need to see more students studying it.
There is less awareness of dyscalculia. There is no assessment in our schools or in NEPS for this condition. It might be opportune to consider a working group in the Department on dyscalculia to see how it can be assessed and what supports are needed. Since Project Maths was introduced at second level, the language used in the exam papers can be quite wordy. It can cause problems for people with literacy issues. Will the Department and the State Examinations Commission review the papers and ensure they are appropriate for students who may have dyslexia so that they can read and understand it in language that is easily understood and enables them to answer the questions?

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Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:18+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-11-12