Paul Murphy criticises Leaving Cert delay to 2 September

I want to ask the minister about the delay for the third year in a row of the Leaving Cert results now until the 2nd of September. As the minister knows, I am sure, this is going to create a real crisis for students in terms of those seeking accommodation, it is going to present real difficulties for those who are studying abroad and it is going to present real problems for those with disabilities and who go through an access process. a program which normally starts a week earlier than the regular college year. The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the Leaving Certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission and the Department of Education are acutely aware of the needs of candidates and other stakeholders in regard to the provision of Leaving Certificate results. The State Examinations Commission have been doing everything they can to ensure the results are delivered as soon as possible. The intended date of Friday, September 2nd is in line with the date of Leaving Certificate results issued to students in both 2020 and 2021. The State Examinations Commission and the State Examinations Commission have been doing everything they can to ensure the results are delivered as well. The 131,000 candidates are undertaking State Examinations this year, an increase of 6 per cent, compared to the last time a full set of Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations were run in 2019. There are significant factors which, when taken together, meant that it was not previously possible for the SEC to give a planned date for the issue of Leaving Certificate results. These factors include the holding of a deferred sitting of Leaving Certificate examinations for students who experience close family bereavement or for reasons related to serious injury in- illness or on public health grounds due to COVID-19. The commitment that the overall set of results in 2022 will be no lower in the aggregate than the 2021 results, and the availability of sufficient numbers of examiners to mark with an examinations. In addition, as with other years, in advance of the issue of the results, sufficient time must be allowed for an extensive range of checks and quality assurance procedures. These are required to ensure that the highest standards possible are maintained. The State Examinations Commission has an absolute responsibility to examination candidates to ensure that their work is marked to the highest standards of quality and integrity, and the Commission must be able to stand over the issue of results each year. In March of this year, officials from the Department and the SEC briefed the further and higher education sector on challenges that could arise this summer. Over the last two years, by working collectively with education stakeholders, it was possible for the further and higher education system to respond to the needs of students wishing to continue their education and training, and I am confident this will be the case again in 2022. In a similar fashion, in the last two years, contacts with international counterparts are taking place, and will continue over the summer to ensure that our students continue to have all options available to them. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thanks a lot. I mean, just because it happened last year and the year before doesn't mean that it's okay. I mean, is this going to be the norm now? The situation with COVID is quite different than it was last year or the year before. The norm previously was results out in mid-August, which still left students in a difficult situation in terms of getting accommodation, but it was a more doable kind of thing for people. For people who are doable, ask, whereas now it's left extremely late in the context of an accommodation crisis, including a student accommodation that already exists, and it's putting people under absolutely huge pressure. And the reasons that are given by the SEC and yourself, I mean, I don't really think that they stand up. The idea of the provision of a deferred sitting for those who experience close family bereavement. I mean, we're dealing there with a relatively small number of cases. I don't see why that would have to delay the results and giving effect to your commitment that the results will be no lower in the aggregate than last year's results. That was a commitment made last February. Fundamentally, it seems to me that the issue here is planning. Again, we knew all these things were happening. Why weren't the plans put in place to avoid this situation? Thank you, Deputy. Again, I want to reiterate, irrespective of the Deputy's views, we are still in a COVID environment. And for that reason, provision had to be made for students appropriately taking into consideration a COVID environment. And I think that is exactly what students and their families and indeed what the school communities would have wanted. And equally so in terms of our achievement in previous years. I think it was remarkable that we did, through COVID, find an opportunity for students to, via the calculated grades in 2020, the accredited grades almost unique in the world to provide an accredited grades process and a seated exam offering for students last year. And this year, the full sitting of the exam that makes accommodation for the second sitting also. And it is important that the commitment was given to students that they would have an opportunity for the overall set of results in 2022 to be no lower in the aggregate than the 2021 results. It is important that the State Examinations Commission can stand over the integrity of the exams. It is not possible for the work as regards the grade profile for 2022 to match 2021 to be done until all exams are completed. It is important from the students' point of view, from the school community's point of view, that there is the imprimatur of the State Examination Commission being provided for over these exams. I agree that we are still in a COVID environment, I find often that I am the one pointing that out, and it is the Government that is getting rid of long COVID leave. It is the Department of Education which is telling very high risk individuals that they have to go back to work in the workplace, so I agree. But clearly we are in a different situation than we were last year or the year before. Regardless of the reasons and so on, maybe just a focus for the final answer about what the Department is going to do to mitigate and to minimise the bad effects as a consequence. What is the plan in terms of assisting students with getting accommodation? What is the plan in terms of those with disabilities who are accessing education through the higher education access route or the disability access route for education? What is going to happen in terms of the orientation weeks? And thirdly, what action is the Department going to take in terms of assisting students who are planning to study abroad? Has there been contacts with UCAS in the UK and equivalent bodies internationally to explain that the results are going to be delayed and to protect the places for those who are waiting for their legal services? Thank you and thank you to both deputies. Again, I want to acknowledge and I do want to salute the work of school communities and students and families and indeed the State Examination Commission to ensure that our students do have this pathway forward. Again, I want to acknowledge that in March of this year, officials from the Department of Education and the State Examination Commission briefed the further and higher education sector on challenges that could arise this summer, particularly in relation to the release of the results. I want to acknowledge that the further and higher ed made provision last year of every confidence that they will do likewise this year. As I say, those discussions took place in March, so a notification was provided as regards to the challenges there. In terms of the UCAS timeframe, it is my understanding that the results are within the UCAS timeframe, specifically in relation to international students. Again, in similar fashion to the last two years, we have taken a very proactive approach. I have written personally to my own European counterpart as education minister to education minister and that has worked very successfully in previous years and I have every confidence it will work again this year. But where there are specific issues, students can raise directly, individually with the college, but there is also an email if students are finding a particular difficulty that is available on gov.ie. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Moving on... Thank you.