Ms Mai Fanning:

I will take that question on assistance for leaving certificate students. That is an ongoing conversation. As I stated before, the leaving certificate syllabus as it stands has to be looked at and readjusted because of the amount of time that has been lost. It is not only the curriculum that needs to be looked at. There are other psychological supports that need to be put in place to alleviate the distress and worry the students will undoubtedly encounter at some point on their journey through the leaving certificate course.

Whether the curriculum will be adjusted enough for them, whether they will get extra assistance to cover the course as it is going to be laid out, or whatever psychological supports are in there, that is all still under discussion so I do not have a definitive answer to give the Deputy on that. That is still all part of the Department's advisory group's discussions and those of the other advisory groups that are in place at the moment for the State Examinations Commission, SEC, and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, as well which are looking at the curriculum to see what needs to be done to facilitate it being completed by students with the least amount of stress and disruption possible. Without having any definitive decisions being made, the possibility of remote learning and blended learning cannot be discounted either. Facilities will have to be assured and put into place for each student irrespective of the social demographic in which he or she lives or exists so that everybody has an equitable and fair attack at completing their leaving certificate cycle. That is where we are at.