Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The figures on the types of accommodation and the numbers availing of them speak for themselves; they show how flexible and responsive the system is for young people with special needs. The leaving certificate, however, is simply a statement of grades attained and subjects examined for all students. A simple annotation at the end of the certificate happens to highlight for individual students where a core component was not examined and the marks were aggregated upwards. The fairness and integrity are ensured by giving the students the accommodation they need and recognising their needs. It is also an objective statement on exactly what was examined. It is up to the end user of the certificate to decide if he wants to use it or why. It is simply a factual statement of what was examined in the leaving certificate or junior certificate examinations for a particular year.

Naturally we are anxious to accommodate as many students as possible but the ruling has called into question the whole issue of accommodations. We have seen other countries draw back from the types of accommodation offered instead of adding annotations. I do not want to see that happen. We must strike a balance where we do not disadvantage students with special needs in State examinations while ensuring the certificate and the examinations are transparent.

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