Expansion of Foreign Language Teaching in Irish Primary Schools

Starting in 2026, Irish primary schools will introduce foreign language teaching from third to sixth class. Languages will be introduced in phases, with initial focus on basic awareness and greetings, progressing to oral communication in later years. Training for primary teachers will span 5–6 years to build confidence and proficiency and schools will be able to choose which language to offer based on resources and demographics.

 However, some teachers worry about their language proficiency and ability to teach effectively, and fear reduced focus on Irish, as time dedicated to it may decrease. There are also concerns about spreading resources too thin.

This initiative aligns Ireland with other EU countries and aims to strengthen multilingual skills from an early age, and is due to a decline in foreign language study at secondary level.