David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Office of the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me raise this matter and I thank also the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, for being present. This matter impacts on a small number of students. Believe it or not, I first raised this on 11 March 1999 and I am back again today on it. I have been reminded of it because of a specific case, which I do not want to go into, of a young man who is doing the leaving certificate but who is quite ill and may not be able to sit two papers on the same day because he is so ill.

The debate is a little wider than that. Some 57,000 students are sitting the leaving certificate this year and I take the opportunity to wish them well. However, roughly less than 1% of those would be what I would call "crisis" students. These are students who, during the leaving certificate examination period, either suffer a bereavement or have a serious accident or get seriously ill which prevents them from sitting one subject or a number of subjects.

The suggestion is quite simple, that within four to six weeks of not being able to sit the examination for one of these reasons, these students would be facilitated to sit the examination. It would not be a re-sit because they would not have sat the exam. If they were to take part in the original examination process, they would not be able to go ahead.

I believe the number of students involved would be relatively small, perhaps a few hundred, but it could make all the difference for them.

It would mean they would not have to repeat the whole year, something they might have to do if they are not given this opportunity. The logistics are not too demanding. Students could go to a regional centre. There need not be too many regional centres throughout the country. I imagine four centres would be enough. Students would be willing to travel. Teachers and examiners are available. A back-up paper is available for each subject as well. All the logistical reasons against doing this can be countered. It would make a great difference to these students because they would not lose a full year. Many of these students would have worked remarkably hard but, through no fault of their own, they have been hit with this wall. I imagine the Minister of State will agree that if, during a leaving certificate examination, a close member of a student's family passes away, whether a parent of a sibling, it is difficult to expect that student to sit the examination. If that student has worked hard all year and is depending on the points attained in the examination to get a place in college, the choice is to repeat the whole year or settle for something a good deal less than what is merited. This issue should be considered from a humanitarian point of view. I realise it is too late for this year but something should be done for next year.

Another factor was brought to my attention in 1999 when I first raised this matter. If we give students no choice but to repeat the whole year and if the issue is a bereavement, then they would sit the examination on the anniversary of the death of a loved one, something we should try to avoid if possible. The solution I propose will help in many ways. No great additional cost is involved. It can be managed easily in an administrative sense. I call on the Minster to examine the possibility constructively and not to dismiss it out of hand, as occurred in 1999 when I raised the matter previously. I await the Minister of State's response.

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