Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

I note the Taoiseach's comment on opinion polls but he swept that one under the carpet quite quickly. His Government meets the Irish Second-Level Students Union, ISSU, and recognises it as in some way a representative voice for secondary school students. The ISSU conducted a poll to which 24,000 students responded. What they said does not count for nothing. It was not 51%, 52% or 53% who said the leaving certificate examinations should be cancelled, but a crushing majority of 79% or almost four in five of the 24,000 students who responded. They will consider the Taoiseach's response to be a little flippant and dismissive of their concerns.

The Taoiseach says he understands and hears their distress. Last night, I had an online meeting with 2,500 leaving certificate students.

See this speech in context