Professor Emer Smyth:

The difference is that, because students in the North had their conditional offers before their results, the process was quicker. They knew whether they had reached the conditions of their offers. There was then some clearing where there were places available. However, in the South, we had a delay in the issuing of leaving certificate results. That has since been pulled back a little but there is still a gap. If you are from the North, have a place in the bank early on and know that you are more than likely to get the grades, you can plan and get your accommodation lined up. If you are hanging on for a place in Dublin, you will have to wait until September or late August and then scramble for a place. As I have said, given how different the systems are, I do not know how that could be solved. It is quite intractable.