Lawless calls for more non-CAO college options as grade inflation eases

Minister for Higher Education James Lawless says he would like to see a broader range of further education options made available outside the traditional CAO route.

His comments follow last week’s announcement that close to 40 tertiary degrees will begin accepting students from September, part of efforts to diversify entry pathways into third-level education.

Concerns are mounting among this year’s Leaving Cert cohort, as pandemic-era grade inflation is set to fall by two per cent. The drop may affect students’ chances of securing their preferred university places through the CAO system.

Minister Lawless said ensuring an adequate number of college places is crucial, especially as the grading curve returns to pre-Covid norms.

“There are many further education choices available,” he said, encouraging students to consider all options, not just CAO-listed courses.

The Minister also linked higher education policy to economic growth, noting that funding university research programmes is a strategic investment. He outlined plans to support innovation and attract emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence to establish operations in Ireland.

Separately, Mr Lawless confirmed that a new report into the financial pressures facing university students is due later this year. The Cost of Education Paper is expected to be published this summer and will include proposals to ease student expenses.

It comes as the Government has ruled out a dedicated cost-of-living package for Budget 2026.