The OECD Programme for International Student Assessments (PISA) are high profile and powerful international comparative assessments of 15-year olds used by governments worldwide in assessing educational outcomes and achievements. While Irish 15-year olds performed above average in literacy in the PISA assessments during the first three cycles in 2000, 2003 & 2006, an ‘apparent’ serious decline in literacy achievement in the 2009 assessments resulted in a national outcry about literacy teaching and literacy standards in Irish schools. This paper examines some of the reactions and responses to the Irish PISA 2009 results by various stakeholders. It goes on to highlight and discuss some of the positive and negative impacts that the official responses to the Irish PISA 2009 results appears to have had on literacy development policy and practice in Irish schools, especially in light of the strong Irish performance in literacy in PISA 2012 assessments.