Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yesterday was a special day for the thousands of students in the class of 2020 and their families. It is fair to say these students have endured a lot of anxiety and uncertainty over the past year due to the severe impact that Covid-19 has had on their lives, education and leaving certificate examinations. School communities and teachers articulated more than a sigh of relief that we have got to the stage when results have been issued.

I pay tribute to all involved in the calculated grades system, including the technical people within the Department Education and Skills, and the extraordinary work that has gone into this solution. The overall point that should not be lost on us is that this has been a unique year because of Covid and no ideal solution can be found, other than to sit the leaving certificate examinations. The Deputy will know that the examinations have always involved a standardisation process. The process undertaken this year has been comprehensive.

On grade inflation, it must be pointed out that there was no change of grade in approximately 79.2% of cases. It was not 20,000 students who sat the examinations in 2019. My understanding is that approximately 9,000 of prospective college applicants undertook the examinations in 2019 and the figure of up to 20,000 relates to applicants who have sat the examinations since 1985. Some of the affected 9,000 students may get third level places. There is a range of variables that will play into what will happen next Friday when the points for the CAO competition are published. It is difficult at this stage to be precise about the challenges that may arise for last year's leaving certificate students who are seeking to secure places in colleges, institutes of technology or other areas this year.

The Minister with responsibility for higher education, Deputy Harris, and the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Foley, have been working on this matter and there will be more than 5,000 additional places available at third level this autumn to be assigned through the CAO system. Of that number, 2,000 provide for demographic increases and another 2,000 come from the July stimulus package and human capital initiative. A further 1,200 places were agreed by the Cabinet two weeks ago. All of those places are designed to try to reduce pressures in key areas and approximately 370 of those additional places apply specifically to high grade areas. Much will depend on the decisions students make.

Particular variables that will impact on demand this year include changing patterns of learning with more blended learning, accommodation and transport factors and students who may be seeking to defer or reapply in subsequent years. Reduced opportunities in the economy may also become a factor in people's decision making. The pandemic itself will have an impact on the decisions that students make about courses.

A lot of courses will be online this year. That may impact on student decision-making. The uncertain patterns of international students travelling could also impact on places.

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