A total of 7,932 students sat the Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science papers today (June 15), according to the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

The exam was taken by 413 students at ordinary level and 7,519 students at higher level.

These provisional figures mark an increase of 10.6% when compared with the 7,169 students who sat the exam last year.

Leaving Cert 2026 questions

Section A of the higher paper involved answering 10 short answer questions including:

Other longer answer questions that appeared in the 2026 Leaving Certificate ag science higher level exam paper read as follows:

Silage is a key winter feed for dairy cows in Ireland. High-quality silage depends on grass variety, growth stage at cutting, and proper storage.
Plant and animal breeding play a vital role in improving the productivity, sustainability, and profitability of Irish agriculture.
Dermot and Pauline are mixed tillage and sheep farmers in Co. Galway. They are planning on reseeding 10% of their 70ha farm and are preparing a nutrient management plan (NMP) before reseeding the grassland field.

Opinions on the exam

One student told Agriland that they felt "the exam was grand" and manageable.

Coláiste Phobal Ros Cré teacher Thomas Pollard told Agriland that he thought this year's paper was "well balanced".

"I expected to see more on soils. There was a welcome emphasis on animal health and welfare.

"There were fewer calculations and experiments than I anticipated.

"Overall, my students came out of the exam feeling relatively happy and confident with how it went," Pollard concluded.

A different teacher from a rural south Co. Tipperary school was "very happy" with the paper, describing it as very fair.

The teacher believed the paper gave students a good opportunity to show their knowledge, added that they were glad that pigs came up.