Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. The point I want to make is that this cohort of fifth year students, who will sit the exams next year, is unique in that they have never sat a State exam before. They have not had the experience or the pressure involved in a State exam before because they did not sit their junior certificate examinations. These students need additional supports over the coming year. I bring to the Minister's attention that there has been a 58% increase in the number of children presenting to our emergency departments in the last three months of 2020, with anxiety, suicidal ideation and self-harm. Every single young person in this country has experienced additional anxiety as a result of Covid-19. This is a challenge to deal with across our education system. We do not need to put additional anxiety on this cohort of fifth year students in coping with a State examination.

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