The government legislated more than 20 years ago to block the publication of current-year progression data from our second-level schools. It’s a statistical aberration – these schools have seemingly high college progression precisely because their Leaving Cert student numbers are declining. Under-reporting of progressionAlongside the problem of over-reporting of progression rates from some schools, our charts can also unfortunately underreport progression. For the previous year, 2024, TU Dublin admitted 4,626 students originating in Irish schools. Furthermore, a growing number of Irish students are seeking and accepting places in continental EU universities, particularly in the Netherlands.

Source: The Irish Times January 14, 2026 17:02 UTC