Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Taoiseach that this is a unique year. This group has a lot of questions and I feel he has not answered them. It is clear that the CAO points requirement will be greatly inflated this year due to the predicted grades system. A level playing field is needed. Grades increased in 2020 by 4.4%. This Government is, like the previous Government, always asking for solutions. A real solution is that students who did exams in 2019 and previous years would have their results increased by 4.4% so they would be treated the same as those who received results in 2020. That is one solution the Government could consider.

Everybody deserves an education. As the Taoiseach said earlier, education is the key to a successful career and we must afford every opportunity to students to ensure they reach their full potential. In Dundalk, we have a college called DkIT. I am very proud of it for the simple reason that 80% of the students who attend it have parents who never had the opportunity to get a third level education. Education is very important.

This is a unique year. I ask the Taoiseach to make sure that nobody is stopped from getting a third level education. All students should be given a course. If someone does a course he or she is not capable of doing, he or she can drop out. People should not be stopped from having a third level education.

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