Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the witnesses. It is important that we have this debate and have clarity regarding what we are talking about. Approximately 136,000 students will be sitting the junior certificate and leaving certificate examinations this year. If we look at the statistics, 10% of those students are dyslexic. That is the cohort of people who are affected in the system today. That amounts, one way or another, to approximately 14,000 kids. They could be in the first percentile or in the 13th or 14th percentile. I know that those with scores at or below the tenth percentile get a special accommodation. There is great emotion about this issue, as there is about this meeting today. The unfortunate terminology of "unfair advantage" is used by the Department. I advise against its use because any parent of a dyslexic child who hears that giving extra time to such a child to do his or her leaving certificate or junior certificate examinations is giving him or her an unfair advantage would feel disrespected and hurt. I advise against the use of such terminology. I find it insulting.

We are looking for extra time. We are looking for kids who are going through leaving certificate examinations to get the same accommodation as is given in other European countries. France offers an extra 33% and other countries have similar models that offer extra time. To give an indication, the UK gives 25% more time, Italy gives 30% and France gives 33%. That is what happening in the European model regarding state examinations. Parents find it very confusing that the European model is giving extra time and the Irish model is not. They are asking how that is happening.

In third level education, extra time is available. I have seen that in recent months. There was no issue in getting an extra 10% at third level. Parents are frustrated that it is happening at a European level and at third level but it is not happening at junior certificate and leaving certificate level. That frustration is bubbling on occasion. Why are we the outlier? Why are we different to the third level institutions, which have an exceptional scheme to help people with special educational needs? That is a credit to those institutions. Why is the SEC the outlier when it comes to extra time? Why are we different to third level institutions in other EU member states? I reiterate that I advise against the use of the terminology to which I refer.