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The Daily Insight

How many national schools are in Ireland?

Author

Robert Guerrero

Updated on March 25, 2026

By comparison there were, as of 2019, over 3,200 national schools in Ireland with a combined enrollment of 567,000 pupils.

Also to know is, how many Irish schools are in Ireland?

A further over 13,000 students are receiving their primary and second level education through Irish in the Gaeltacht.

Statistics.

Primary level Republic of Ireland Northern Ireland
Gaelscoil (primary) schools 143 35
Total primary students 536,747 168,669
Total primary schools 3,137 827

Additionally, how many primary schools are there in the Republic of Ireland? Education in the Republic of Ireland

Department of Education Department of Further and Higher Education
Total 1,091,635
Primary 544,696
Secondary 372,296
Post secondary 174,640

Thereof, how many schools are in Ireland?

729

How many community national schools are in Ireland?

11 Community National Schools

Related Question Answers

Is Ireland a rich or poor country?

The latest global standings show Ireland's per capita GDP comes in at fifth highest of 182 countries, or third (after Qatar and Singapore) if we exclude countries with population of less than half a million. Within Europe, we are ranked first.

What is the best school in Ireland?

Top universities in Ireland 2021
World University Rank 2021 Ireland Rank 2021 University
=155 1 Trinity College Dublin
201–250 2 RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
251–300 3 University College Dublin
301–350 =4 National University of Ireland, Galway

What is the best gaelscoil in Ireland?

A Dublin Gaelscoil has named the best school in Ireland
  • Mount Anville Secondary School, Goatstown, Dublin 14 (Girls) - 92.5%
  • Holy Faith Secondary School, Clontarf, Dublin 3 (Girls) - 91.3%
  • Muckross Park College, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 (Girls) - 90.1%
  • The Teresian School, Donnybrook, Dublin 4 (Girls) - 90%
  • St Gerard's School, Bray, Co Wicklow (Mixed) - 89%

Is school free in Ireland?

Public schools in Ireland

Although public school education is provided free of charge, parents are usually expected to pay for uniforms, school books and extra-curricular activities. All public schools follow the Irish national curriculum.

Are all schools in Ireland Catholic?

Education in the Republic of Ireland is mostly denominational at primary and secondary level. That is to say, most schools are associated with a particular religion or Christian denomination.

What is kindergarten called in Ireland?

Have a look at this chart for level differences between the USA and Ireland:
USA Age Ireland
Preschool 4-5 years Junior Infants
Kindergarten 5-6 years Senior Infants
1st grade 6-7 years 1st class
2nd grade 7-8 years 2nd class

How long is a school day in Ireland?

5 hours and 40 minutes

How long is college in Ireland?

A typical Bachelors Degree in a general field of study is around three-four years long for a full time student. Undergraduate studies in fields such as architecture, veterinary science and dentistry are about five years in duration.

What is the best primary school in Ireland?

Best schools in Dublin and Ireland considered by expats
  • Alexandra College. Irish curriculum/ Junior Certificate/ Leaving Certificate; ages 4-18; girls; day and boarding; independent; private non-profit; 450 students.
  • Belvedere College.
  • Blackrock College.
  • Castle Park School.
  • Castleknock College.
  • Gonzaga College.
  • International School of Dublin.
  • King's Hospital School (The)

How many principals do teachers have in Ireland?

Currently, we have over 500 principals across Ireland actively engaging as members, and this is growing daily.

How does school work in Ireland?

Education is compulsory for children in Ireland from the ages of 6 to 16 or until students have completed 3 years of second-level education. The Irish education system is made up of primary, second, third-level and further education.

What age can you leave school in Ireland?

16 years

How many national school teachers are in Ireland?

The number of primary teachers has increased from 24,455 to 28,474 (+3,728 or +16.4%) and the number of post-primary teachers has increased from 33,613 to 37,341 (+4,019 or +11.1%). Overall, the total number of teachers has increased from 58,068 to 65,815 (+7,747 or +13.3%).

How many teachers are in Ireland?

Number of Principals and Teachers in service in 1916 and in 2014/2015
2.14 Number of Principals and Teachers in service in 19161 and in 2014/2015
Principals Teachers
Men 4,405 5,170
Women 3,285 30,530
Total 7,690 35,700

How many special education teachers are in Ireland?

The NCSE allocated 1,197 teachers and 2,405 SNAs to special schools in 2016-17.

Is Irish taught in Irish schools?

Irish in English-medium schools

The Irish language is a compulsory subject in government-funded schools in the Republic of Ireland and has been so since the early days of the state. At present the language must be studied throughout secondary school, but students need not sit the examination in the final year.

Is PE compulsory in secondary schools in Ireland?

PE is not compulsory at senior cycle in secondary schools and until a few weeks ago there wasn't even a standard curriculum for teachers to follow. The Department has also been working on making PE an optional Leaving Cert exam subject — since the 1980s.

What is the largest secondary school in Ireland?

Gorey Community School

What is the oldest school in Ireland?

Church Hill National School

What is the debs in Ireland?

A school's Debs, also called Grad or Grads, is the formal ball for students in their final year of secondary school in the Republic of Ireland, analogous to the prom in North American schools or the school formal in Australia. Some schools have a smaller "pre-Debs" some months before the Debs.

When did education become compulsory in Ireland?

1922

How many years is secondary school in Ireland?

The Irish High School System (called Secondary School) is divided into two cycles: Junior Cycle which lasts for 3 years (for students from age 12) Senior Cycle which lasts for a further 3 years (for students from age 15)

What is full time education Ireland?

Course of study/instruction

A course of study is a full-time day course of study, instruction or training which may take place over more than one academic year, at an institution of education.??

When was free third level education introduced in Ireland?

1996

When was free education introduced in Ireland?

1967

What is the difference between Educate Together and community national schools?

In summary, 'Educate Together' schools teach a common ethical education to all and facilitate Faith Formation Outside of School Hours ( FFOSH ), but Community National Schools teach religous eudcation and Faith Formation Inside of School Hours ( FFISH ).

What is a community school Ireland?

A community school (Irish: pobalscoil) in the Republic of Ireland is a type of secondary school funded individually and directly by the state. Community schools are managed by boards of management which are representative of local interests. The schools are financed entirely by the Department of Education and Skills.

What are ETB schools?

Vocational schools and community colleges are owned by the local Education and Training Board (ETB). The boards of management for these schools are sub-committees of the ETB. Membership of the boards include ETB representatives and parent, teacher and community representatives.

What makes a community school?

A community school is both a place and a set of partnerships between the school and other community resources. Its integrated focus on academics, health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities.

What is the ethos of Educate Together schools?

For instance, where Educate Together is patron, the ethos of the school is 'equality-based' – no child is discriminated against on the basis of their social, cultural or religious background in either access to the school or within the classroom during the school day.

What is a comprehensive secondary school?

A comprehensive school is the name for a school which anyone can go to - regardless of how well they do in exams - and where everybody is taught together. They are usually run by the local education authority - a part of the local council in that area.