Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

My concern is that this could have the unintended consequence of students experiencing a greater level of stress arising from facing assessment over two years if they are now to sit paper 1 in both subjects in fifth year. Students who may want to go to the Gaeltacht in the summer of fifth year will be put at a disadvantage because, obviously, they will not have had time to do their stint in the Gaeltacht, which stands to them when they come to sit paper 1 in the leaving certificate as it stands. I understand the principle and rationale of spreading out the assessment but I am concerned it will have the unintended consequence of stretching the stress associated with assessment over a longer period. Moreover, students will need to be prepared more quickly and that could cause difficulty and challenges for teachers as well as students.