Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I return to the matter of the leaving certificate examination. Students are in a position now where it is unclear when they will return to the classroom. This year's sixth years are doubly disadvantaged because, of course, their fifth year studies were hugely disrupted last year and now they find themselves in a hugely pressurised position where their learning has been absolutely disrupted. They have made clear that they need clarity at this point. They need to know that there will be fairness at play and that they will be afforded a level of choice to sit the traditional examination if that is possible in the summertime or to have an alternative continuous-assessment grading system also. The Taoiseach is now honour bound to make clear to students that that level of choice will be granted. Any pretence now that we will have business as usual come the summer has absolutely zero credibility. These young people have really suffered and they are suffering now with the lack of clarity and with the anxiety that they are experiencing, as are their families and the teachers concerned.

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