Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I have five minutes and I want to share that with the Minister so that he can answer my questions properly. I thank the Minister for providing much clarity around the leaving certificate of 2020 last Friday.

Many students are pleased with the plan while many others are not but clarification is still needed around some aspects of the announcement. This includes where a student is taking a subject outside school. My office has been contacted by many students who say their principals believe it is not possible to engage with outside people as they would not be able to verify the data. What will be done in these cases? For example, many students take music outside school. The person taking them for music may not be a teacher. How will these students be facilitated?

Is it fair that students who wish to take exams will have to wait until 2021 to attend their first year of college, or is that correct?

What contact has the Minister had with his EU counterparts on international students? It is expected that the numbers of international students will be low, which will result in additional places in our colleges being available to domestic students.

I refer to students who are going into their leaving certificate year in the forthcoming academic year. There has been little reference to the time they have lost in the run-up to their final year. Much of the work for leaving certificate takes place in fifth year, including project work. What plans are being put in place to assist these students? Will they be given additional time around deadlines next year?

The July provision for children with special needs will have to be dealt with sensitively and carefully by the Minister and his officials. Regardless of whether the incoming Minister for Education and Skills is Deputy McHugh or someone else, this matter will have to be given the thought, kindness, care and consideration needed to help children with special needs, their parents and the people who work with them. They must be considered at this difficult time.

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