Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh na haíonna ar fad agus gabhaim buíochas leo as ucht a bheith linn agus as ucht na bpáipéar a chuir siad chugainn. I will address my first question to the ASTI. I have read its submission and I note how it recalled the recommendations of Professor Áine Hyland on options such as the decoupling of the leaving certificate from higher education access, which is one of the central questions before us.

I have a couple of questions, not just for the ASTI, on the issue of vocational options and career paths. In its submission, the ASTI noted that the NCCA's advisory report underlined the need to reduce the ring-fencing between leaving certificate programmes. The ASTI broadly supports this proposal, while stating that transition year must remain a stand-alone programme. Will the ASTI representative say a little more about what it means by unhelpful ring-fencing between the three leaving certificate programmes?