Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Like the Deputy, I encourage people to look at all the pathways that are available. I am concerned about the students who are contacting me who went through all the options last year. One student, for example, got 517 points. He had to have his grades re-examined and by the time he did so he was too late for a college place this year. It is those students who worked the hardest and gave the highest level of commitment but who were disappointed last year who felt sure they would be getting those places this year. I am concerned about the physical and mental health of these students. We must do everything we can to alleviate that and facilitate them. We also must be looking at the class of 2021 to ensure that we have learned from this year and that these things never happen again.

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