The 2011 Census showed that the population of non-Irish citizens increased by 143%. As of 2011, there are 199 different nationalities in Ireland. Some of the nationalities with the largest population are Polish, United Kingdom, Lithuanians, Latvians, Nigerians and Romanians (Kenny, 2012).
The two main religious groups in Ireland are Roman Catholic and Protestant. Historically, these religious group clashed because of the difference in opinion on the status of Ireland (BBC News, 2016). The Protestants wanted Ireland to be a part of the United Kingdom, and the Catholics wanted Ireland to be independent. Since the 12th Century, there has been conflict between the Roman Catholics and the Protestants because the disagreement of the British rule of Ireland (BBC News, 2016). During the British Rule, many Catholics faced discrimination for houses and jobs, which intensified the conflict between the two religious groups and …show more content…
In Ireland, all schools except for secondary are funded by state because secondary schools are privately owned and managed. However, in the U.S, all public high schools are funded by the federal and state government and local resources. The structure of secondary education in Ireland is also categorized by cycles. The Junior cycle consists of 3 years and has a curriculum that covers general subjects and prepares students for the knowledge and skills needed for the senior cycle (DES, 2016). The senior cycle is for students between the ages of 15-18 and includes an optional TY year. The TY years gives students the opportunity to participate in real life work experience (DES, 2016). Before graduation, students have the option to take the following state examines: the traditional Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Program (LCVP) or the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) (DES,