It's the first day of the Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle exams.
A total of 136,160 students combined will sit this year’s Leaving Certificate, Leaving Certificate Applied and Junior Cycle exams in 817 venues across the country.
English is the first subject up for both - with exams continuing for the next three weeks until June 25th.
Students are being advised to be familiar with their timetables, and be sure to eat and sleep well over the next three weeks.
Former President of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, Betty McLoughlin, is exam students to get to their exam centre in plenty of time this morning.
"So this morning, all students will be asked to come to present at their exam centres a half an hour earlier before the exam is due to start.
"You would be expected to present yourself at 9 o'clock this morning, go to your exam centre, which you will have been given the number of.
"Have your exam number with you, you'll be asked to sign the roll and to take your seat and get prepared to start the exam.
"I suppose it's important to say to bring in your pencils, bring in your biros, and your maths set when you have your maths, and of course, you're allowed to take a drink of water into the exam as well.
"Have all of these things ready in advance.
"If you arrive early at the centre you'll feel more at ease and it's better for you to be settled and relaxed by the time you get in and get your paper.
Minister for Education Norma Foley, is reminding students of all the hard work they've done to get to this point.
“It’s the culmination of many, many years of hard work from all of you.
"I know those years have been challenging, they’ve been daunting and they’ve been demanding, but you have seen it through right to the very end.
"So today and over the coming days, give it your very, very best. Good luck to you all.”
Best wishes to everyone doing state exams this year, from Minister for Education @NormaFoleyTD1, Minister Hildegarde Naughton, and Minister Thomas Byrne. pic.twitter.com/n8UXFHV2JY
— Department of Education (@Education_Ire) June 4, 2024
Teachers' Union of Ireland President, David Waters, is encouraging students to look ahead if they're unhappy with one particular exam.
"Not to get too downhearted if things don't go right, you're still going to have another exam to go.
"So, I mean, there's no denying it's going to be a tough couple of weeks, but it is only a couple of weeks, and most of the hard work will be done at this point, so just to kind of hang in there as well".
