Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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It is important we do give them hope. I want the students to know that my aim will be to continue to maximise the number of opportunities that they have when the CAO issues its offers next autumn. It is important that my Department, and the Department of education, reflect on the fact that in many ways there is a bubble effect now because we have had a very unusual year this year, to put it mildly, and the Deputy has rightly highlighted the effect that has had on people from 2018, 2019 and 2020. We need to make sure that this is managed, so to speak, out of the system in a careful way. Now that we are nearly through this year's CAO process, I will give that active consideration with my officials in terms of how best we can help. The answer from my perspective will be to maximise the college places. The Minister, Deputy Foley, and her Department, will have a job of work to do in terms of maximising it from that Department also. The Deputy is rightly highlighting issues about 2019. We need to be very conscious, as she is, of the class of 2021 also. I am acutely aware of it and I am beginning work on it now.