Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy is aware, the issue of equal pay for teachers was the subject of significant conversations prior to the election and the pandemic. Anything relating to the issue will form part of the next pay talks.

The Deputy referred to indecision. To explain, once we postponed the exams to 29 July, I instructed my officials to look at the calculated grades model. I had reservations about the model and went public in that regard. However, once I started informing myself through that process and seeing how the checks and balances come into the system, I became convinced that it would be fairer for students - and safer for them from a public health point of view - to go for that model rather than holding a poorly run leaving certificate examination. That process took a certain amount of time for two reasons. The first is that we had to get legal advice. If we had not done, the State Examinations Commission would be running that calculated grades model but it does not have the authority to do so. Although the Education Act 1998 delegates it the power to run and correct exams, it no longer has that power. Legislative change would be required to give it that power. All Deputies are aware why that cannot be done. That is why I had to get Cabinet approval to get executive authority to set up a new group within the Department. The second factor was consultation. We needed to reach out to teachers. I did not want teachers to be bounced into a decision announced on radio, television or Twitter that we would be going for the calculated grades model. They were part of that process and that engagement was very important.

On the definitive timeline, we will continue to work with stakeholders. We will have strict, specific and clear advice and guidelines for teachers regarding marking and professional boundaries between parents, students and teachers. That work has begun already and we will be in a position to publish it next week.

As to when the exam results will come out, I am on record as stating that I wish for them to come out as close to the traditional date as possible. However, we must bear in mind that teachers have not begun to assess grades because they are awaiting the guidelines.

We need to continue to work through this. A few Deputies have raised it. Each school - not the Department of Education and Skills - will be determining the result for each class and each individual student.

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