Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

I have no idea how much grinds are costing parents or how much the grind school industry is worth. The advice I give to parents and students is that the leaving certificate is not the be all and end all. There are alternative routes to most jobs or courses. I also advise parents not to put undue pressure on young people who are studying for the leaving certificate. There are alternatives available. However, if a parent believes he must drive his child towards obtaining high points there is not much anyone can do about it. We can only encourage people to strike a balance.

Underperforming teachers are certainly a factor in the number of students who are taking grinds, but not an important factor. The typical students who go to grind schools are not academically challenged, nor are they financially challenged. They generally come from schools that are regarded as top performers. All this underlines the need for reform of the leaving certificate but also the need for more information from schools about their performances. I look forward to the Deputies' support for my attempts to achieve this so that parents can have a real choice. I do not approve of league tables, but the more information schools make available the better it is for parents and teachers.

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