Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

This morning, one could almost hear the collective groan of hundreds of thousands of families as they listened on morning radio to the latest instalment of this Government's fiasco factory. People around the country are wondering if anybody is in charge at all. In a few short months, this Government has proven itself efficient in only one thing and that is the creation of chaos.

The predictive grades process has turned out to be a complete dog's dinner. What has actually been delivered looks nothing like what was designed in the first place. The Government said the process would be accurate, reliable and fair. It is none of these things. The predictive grades situation is a disaster for many students across the country.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, in particular, have a fierce fondness for outsourcing serious State roles to private companies. This has obviously caused untold damage right across the sectors, especially in areas such as cancer screening. However, from the responses of the Minister and other Government Deputies over the past while, it looks like the Government is trying to outsource the blame for this particular issue to the private sector as well. At this juncture, the key question is: who is responsible for what has happened? I do not ask that question for the purpose of the blame game but because there will be a cost to this cock-up.

The class of 2020 has gone through extraordinary turmoil over the past year. Many will have serious financial costs heaped upon them. Some students will have taken courses in certain cities. They will have been set up there and have paid big deposits for houses, flats, etc., only to find out they have another preference in another city they want to take.

The Government now states it will provide extra places for those students. Those are extra places for students in a third level sector that is already on its knees financially. There is a €500 million shortfall in that sector. It will not be feasible to provide places for everybody; it is just not going to happen. Many students will be left in limbo in respect of their preferences for a full year and many of these cases will lead to court cases.

Did the company make this mistake? Is it consequently liable for the financial costs that will accrue to the State or did the Department give the incorrect directions? Will the taxpayer be left pick up the costs again?

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