Dex for students
Ask Dex: free Irish politics help for students
Ask Dex to explain Irish politics, quiz you on CSPE or Politics and Society, and link the official Oireachtas record. Free to start, no login needed.
Leaving Cert
Leaving Cert Politics and Society, from the real record.
Politics and Society is about how power works and how citizens can use it. The best answers and the best citizenship projects use evidence from the real system, and that evidence is public.
The course at a glance
- Four strands: Power and decision-making, Active citizenship, Human rights and responsibilities, and Globalisation and localisation.
- Assessment is a written examination worth 80% and a citizenship project, reported on in writing, worth 20%.
- The State Examinations Commission issues the citizenship project brief each year, so always use the current year's brief.
- Offered at Higher and Ordinary level.
Which guides cover which strand
Strand 1, Power and decision-making: the Constitution, separation of powers, how government is formed, and the EU institutions. Strand 2, Active citizenship: how to contact a TD, how to research and cite evidence, and the citizenship project. Strand 3, Human rights and responsibilities: the Constitution's rights, the nine grounds of discrimination and who can vote. Strand 4, Globalisation and localisation: Ireland and the EU, and Irish local government.
Treat this as a map, not a syllabus. Your teacher's course plan and the NCCA specification decide what is examinable.
The citizenship project: use the real record
- Read the current briefThe topics change every year. Choose the one you can act on.
- Start a source log on day oneFor each source, write the date, the title and the link. You will need them for the report.
- Find primary evidenceDáil debates, votes, parliamentary questions and committee reports show what was said and decided. Our citizenship project guide shows how to use them.
- Act, then reflectThe report describes what you did and what you learned as an active citizen, so keep notes as you go.
Revision that works
Read a guide, close it and explain it in your own words, then check what you missed. Quiz yourself on one strand at a time, and mix in old topics so they do not fade. In Dex Study you can turn a guide into a practice paper and revision cards that return on a schedule.
Be careful with office-holders and rules that change: always check a current official source for who holds a role today.
Free guides to read next
Plain-English background with links to the official sources.
- The Irish Constitution explained9 min
- Separation of powers in Ireland8 min
- How is the Irish Government formed?8 min
- The Commission, Parliament and Council of the EU7 min
- The Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive7 min
- Strengths and weaknesses of Irish democracy8 min
- Who can vote in Ireland?6 min
- How to research Irish politics9 min
Try these with Dex
Each prompt opens Dex with the question filled in. Dex explains and points to sources. Your own work should stay in your own words.
Keep going
Dex Study · Test
Make practice papers from your own notes
Build exam-style practice papers from your notes and guides: multiple choice, short and long answers, ordering and fill-the-gap, with a marking guide.
Dex Study · Revise
Flashcards with spaced repetition for students
Dex Study builds revision cards from your notes and missed questions, then schedules reviews with spaced repetition so you revise what you are about to forget.
Junior Cycle
CSPE notes and Citizenship Action Record help
CSPE revision for Junior Cycle: the three strands, how the Citizenship Action Record works, action ideas and free guides on Irish democracy.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
There is a written examination worth 80% and a citizenship project, reported on in writing, worth 20%. The State Examinations Commission publishes the brief for the project each year.
Power and decision-making; Active citizenship; Human rights and responsibilities; and Globalisation and localisation.
Students pick a topic from the annual brief, research it, take an informed action and write a report describing the action and reflecting on their role as an active citizen.
Yes, and they make strong primary evidence. Cite the official Oireachtas page rather than DáilDex, and record the date you accessed it.
No. They are plain-English background with links to official sources. Your teacher's course plan and the NCCA specification decide what is examinable.
DáilDex is independent and is not affiliated with the Department of Education, the State Examinations Commission, the NCCA or the Houses of the Oireachtas. Check your school’s or college’s current requirements before you rely on any summary.