Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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I will ask Dr. Looney to comment on my original question and also the next one. I will ask Professor O'Leary to contribute as well, after Dr. Looney.

I like Dr. Looney's language when she said, "cultural obsession". It describes the leaving certificate exactly the way I would. It is an obsession. We knock people's confidence with the present-day leaving certificate.

I refer to Deputy Jim O'Callaghan's comments when he said that for weeks before the leaving certificate, the exam is all over the media - print, radio, television. We frighten the bejesus out of an awful lot of students in the two months leading to the leaving certificate. From the minute they get up in the morning they are exposed to it. When they come home in the evening it is on the radio. It is in the print media and social media. It is everywhere. On the introduction of continuous assessment, as I said to Professor Hyland a significant number of students do not have confidence. They can come from the most well-off of backgrounds. Due to that lack of confidence, their real potential is not realised. It is caused by the cultural obsession, the points race in the CAO and issues likes that. It is a mad, crazy situation. I ask the witnesses to comment on that and on the original question I put to Professor Hyland.