Junior Cert religion Junior Certificate students undertaking the Religious Education higher level exam yesterday had to consider challenges the church and religious orders face in Ireland today and to describe factors that can influence personal faith.

Some 24,000 students sat yesterday's two-hour higher and ordinary level papers which encompass world religions and cultures.

Prior to yesterday's exam, students had completed a journal and project which equated to 20 per cent of the marks available.

Una Killoran, a TUI representative and teacher in Lough Allen College, Drumkeerin, Co Leitrim, said the higher level paper posed serious difficulties for students, while the ordinary level paper was straight-forward.

One particular section, which required students to outline what Jewish people expected the Messiah to be like at the time of Jesus, and to name one way in which Jesus was like and not like the Messiah they were expecting, proved particularly difficult.