Ireland has a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to change the State’s education system, Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton has said. Speaking at the launch of the National Conversation on Education in Dublin on Wednesday, Ms Naughton said the outcome of the process will “help shape Ireland’s education system for decades to come”. Speaking about some of the challenges facing education and young people, the minister singled out the advent of artificial intelligence. Stressing the importance of early education, she said: “The earlier we provide access to education for children, the better the outcome for the child. He said this is a “crucial” area that needs to be examined in order to ensure the State has “an education system fit for purpose”.

Source: The Irish Times January 15, 2026 12:04 UTC