Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this important matter and welcome the opportunity to update the House. As she said, I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Education.

Throughout the education system, including in respect of State examinations, progress is continuing to return the education system to normality following the disruption to teaching and learning resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Minister and her Government colleagues recognise the impact the pandemic has had on students and their well-being and the disruption to teaching and learning it has caused. As I am sure the Senator is aware, the State Examinations Commission has responsibility for the development, operation and delivery of State examinations. I acknowledge the work and commitment of the commission and, indeed, all education stakeholders in the ongoing progress being made to return to normality.

The Senator will be aware summer 2022 marked the return to externally delivered examinations for all candidates in both the leaving certificate and the junior cycle. This was a welcome step towards normality after the calculated and accredited grades process, which was implemented in 2020 and 2021. More than 135,000 students combined are sitting this year's leaving certificate, leaving certificate applied and junior cycle examinations at more than 800 post-primary schools and other venues throughout Ireland. I welcome the recent confirmation by the State Examinations Commission that it intends to issue the leaving certificate 2023 results on 25 August. This is a full week earlier than was the case for the 2022 results, which issued on 2 September last, and it provides clarity for students, parents, teachers and other stakeholders. This is a significant and welcome step towards pre-pandemic norms in the timing of the issuing of results.

In recent years, adjusted assessment arrangements have been made for both the leaving certificate and the junior cycle to take account of the disruption caused by the pandemic. Last September, the Minister announced that adjustments would be made to assessment arrangements for the 2023 cohorts in line with the impact of the pandemic, and in May, she indicated those adjustments will also be made to the assessment arrangements for students due to sit State examinations in 2024. With regard to grade inflation in leaving certificate results, the Minister has been clear there should be no cliff edge return to pre-pandemic grade levels in the leaving certificate and, as a consequence, post-marking adjustments will be made in 2023.

The Senator is quite right in saying I too was inundated with a lot of upset calls last week, particularly on Saturday. Parents were very concerned for the welfare of their young people. To be fair, there has been a great deal of positive support in the media regarding how to move on and focus on the remaining exams, but I take on board what the Senator is saying. The Minister is acutely aware of the issues the Senator wished to raise, which is why she was adamant this Commencement matter be taken with a view to airing those concerns. There is a great deal of upset not just for the students sitting exams this year but also for those who will come forward next year and might never have sat a State exam previously. I will convey the Senator's concerns to the Minister.