Plans to move some of the Leaving Certificate into 5th year have nothing to do with education.

That's according to Julian de Spáinn, general-secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge.

He was speaking as Paper One for both English and Irish look set to be moved ahead by a year.

It was announced last March pupils entering 5th year in September 2023 would sit the exams at the end of that school year.

The Education Minister Norma Foley has said the exams will be 'remodelled and reshaped', as students would sit them after one year instead of two.

Mr de Spáinn told The Hard Shoulder they sent in a Freedom of Information request as to how this decision was made.

"It actually seems that it wasn't based on any educational basis to this decision.

"But it seems to be more that the idea of reducing stress - but I think... you could actually have something that will increase the stress on students.

"The SEC... was pointing out that you can't move - or you shouldn't move - the paper.

"You can move it a few weeks, but anymore than that and you'd have to look at the specifications of the exam itself.

"Another thing they mentioned as well is that to move it would be a significant disadvantage for boys.

"Their level of maturity for doing the essay, for example, they wouldn't have attained that maturity at that stage".

He said we shouldn't continue on this path.

"There was no teacher input into this decision.

"When the NCCA - who originally sent a report to the Department of Education outlining how you could actually reorganise the Leaving Cert - they didn't recommend this

"And when the Department of Education got it, they looked at it.

"And what actually came in the correspondence, again the FOI, the idea was mentioned 'How can we get some early wins on this?'

"So it wasn't about 'How can we do the best thing for the education of our students'.

"I don't think that's the basis that we should be moving forward".