Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have a number of comments to make. I wish the various Ministers well and hope to work with them.

I feel very strongly about access to education and educational disadvantage and I congratulate the Minister on announcing a new free book scheme. A pilot scheme was included in the budget last year, proposed in the programme for Government, and has now been delivered upon. A total of 102 schools will avail of a free book scheme in September, and that is the kind of initiative that the Labour Party wants to work with the Government to roll out throughout the country. I congratulate the Minister on that.

I want to ask a very direct question. It has come to my attention that the Department has now conceded that the leaving certificate results will not now be announced until the first week in September. Is the Minister in a position to confirm this? If that is the situation, what preparations is the Department making for this eventuality? The assumption heretofore was that the leaving certificate results would become available on pretty much the same date as they always have. However, if it is to happen in the first week of September, if that is the situation, and if the Department is working towards that end, what impact is that going to have on third level institutions, apart from the mental health strain on the young people going through this process who have already been extremely challenged? If that is the situation, will the Minister clarify that and give a commitment that, one hopes, that is not the case and that the leaving certificate results will be published at the same time as was expected, in mid-August?

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