# Leaving Cert Economics 2026

> The 2026 Leaving Cert Economics exam paper and official marking scheme for Higher and Ordinary level. Questions come from the official State Examinations Commission papers; every PDF link opens the original on examinations.ie.

Canonical: https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/2026

## Higher Level

- [Exam Paper](https://www.examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2026/LC034ALP000EV.pdf)
- [Marking Scheme](https://www.examinations.ie/archive/markingschemes/2026/LC034ALP000EV.pdf)

### What's in the 2026 Higher Level paper?

| Question | Topics | Marks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Q1 | adam smith, specialisation, international trade |  |
| Q2 | price elasticity of demand, profit maximisation, marginal cost |  |
| Q3 | subsidies, market failure, externalities, inequality |  |
| Q4 | less developed countries, wages, demand, online shopping |  |
| Q5 | consumer behaviour, utility, personal finance |  |
| Q6 | globalisation, multinational corporations, tourism |  |
| Q7 | environmental policy, subsidies, indirect tax, economic growth |  |
| Q8 | labour market, costs of production, rural development |  |
| Q9 | gdp, economic growth, percentage change |  |
| Q10 | inflation, price index, competitiveness |  |
| Q11 | monopolistic competition, oligopoly, income elasticity of demand, price elasticity of demand | 75 |
| Q12 | exports, tariffs, trade protectionism, carbon tax | 75 |
| Q13 | ecb interest rates, fixed and variable costs, housing market, eu membership | 75 |
| Q14 | gdp, hidden economy, circular flow of income, market equilibrium | 75 |
| Q15 | government expenditure, capital expenditure, vat, labour productivity | 75 |
| Q16 | tourism, exchange rates, balanced regional development, production possibility frontier | 75 |

## Ordinary Level

- [Exam Paper](https://www.examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2026/LC034GLP000EV.pdf)
- [Marking Scheme](https://www.examinations.ie/archive/markingschemes/2026/LC034GLP000EV.pdf)

### What's in the 2026 Ordinary Level paper?

| Question | Topics | Marks |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Q1 | cso, exports, international trade | 12 |
| Q2 | electric vehicles, private benefit, social benefit, government intervention | 12 |
| Q3 | retail, environment | 12 |
| Q4 | capital expenditure, government expenditure, infrastructure | 12 |
| Q5 | official development assistance, foreign aid | 12 |
| Q6 | tuition fees, third-level education, government expenditure | 12 |
| Q7 | canons of taxation, adam smith, taxation | 12 |
| Q8 | government expenditure, opportunity cost | 12 |
| Q9 | employment, labour market | 12 |
| Q10 | government expenditure, social protection | 12 |
| Q11 | monopoly, barriers to entry, oligopoly, market structures | 75 |
| Q12 | demand, economic aims, financial institutions, financial regulation | 75 |
| Q13 | corporation tax, taxation, social protection, multinational companies | 75 |
| Q14 | price inflation, ageing population, price elasticity of demand, electricity prices | 75 |
| Q15 | private and social benefits, subsidies, profit, hidden economy | 75 |
| Q16 | tariffs, factors of production, entrepreneurship, minimum wage | 75 |

## Revise Economics by topic

- [Foundations: Economic Concepts, Systems & Thought](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/foundations-economic-concepts-systems-thought)
- [Demand, Supply, Elasticity & Market Equilibrium](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/demand-supply-elasticity-market-equilibrium)
- [Costs of Production & the Firm](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/costs-of-production-the-firm)
- [Market Structures & Competition](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/market-structures-competition)
- [Market Failure & Government Intervention](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/market-failure-government-intervention)
- [Factors of Production & Income Distribution](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/factors-of-production-income-distribution)
- [Labour Market, Employment & Unemployment](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/labour-market-employment-unemployment)
- [National Income & Economic Activity](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/national-income-economic-activity)
- [Money, Banking, Inflation & Monetary Policy](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/money-banking-inflation-monetary-policy)
- [Government & Public Finance (Fiscal Policy & Taxation)](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/government-public-finance-fiscal-policy-taxation)
- [International Trade, Balance of Payments & the EU](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/international-trade-balance-of-payments-the-eu)
- [Economic Growth, Development & Population](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/topic/economic-growth-development-population)

## Related

- [Economics 2025](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics/2025)
- [All Economics years](https://examai.ie/past-papers/leaving-cert/economics)