Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is a ballot under way within the ASTI and I am not going to get into it. However, there an issue with junior certificate English, which is a part of that ballot. As things currently stand, Government policy is that if the ASTI membership rejects the offer that is on the table, junior certificate English students in ASTI schools this year will automatically lose 10% of their marks. That is not really putting the best interest of the children first. I know the Minister, Deputy Zappone, is present too. What is the fallback position for those students? What comfort can the Minister give those students that they will not be penalised in their junior certificate English this year?

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