Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Labour Party, I extend sympathies to the family of Ashling Murphy, her boyfriend, Ryan, her family, community, colleagues, friends and pupils. I think of them a lot. It is a terrible tragedy that has deeply touched us all, across the country, and it demands a serious and collective response from all of us in this House. I welcome the question-and-answer session just beforehand and I agree totally. The word "watershed" is often used in this House for many different things. Sometimes the word is misplaced and sometimes those sentiments are not followed up on. We are all guilty of that. This, however, must be a watershed moment when it comes to violence against women. It simply must be.

Collectively, we are all leaders. Everyone who has been elected to this House is a leader. We must address violence against women in this country, which has ended so many lives. I was taken by a piece broadcast on "Prime Time" last night, which went back 60 years. It contained many reminders of cases that might have been forgotten. It was shocking. Whatever we collectively have to do, we must do. The new special committee on gender equality that my colleague, Deputy Bacik, will be chairing will have an important role in helping us all to deal with domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland.

I want to ask the Taoiseach another question relating to the leaving certificate. I ask it in an honest way. We in the Labour Party have asked it before. Deputy Ó Ríordáin, our education spokesperson, has been asking the question since July. Thousands of students are waiting for an answer from the Government as to whether the leaving certificate will go ahead as normal or whether there will be a hybrid leaving certificate, which we have been proposing since July. Those students need an answer. We absolutely believe in a hybrid leaving certificate. Those students have gone through a difficult two years and have lost much time despite the best efforts of teachers, schools etc. Some 10,000 people, the majority of whom are students, have signed a petition. There are students outside today. We know two thirds of the students' union secondary representatives who were surveyed favoured the hybrid model. I accept it cannot be a carbon copy of what happened last year. I accept there are additional difficulties. However, a move to the hybrid model is absolutely necessary. The stress these students are under at the moment is enormous. I have spoken to many of them across the country and in my own constituency. With oral, mock and practical examinations coming up, we need a quick decision. I hope we are coming into a different phase of the pandemic. Perhaps we are moving out of it, although we do not know that because the pandemic has been full of surprises. I commend the Minister for Education because she got the decision right last year and the year before that. I ask, on behalf of all of these students who deserve a fair chance like others, that the leaving certificate will be a hybrid again this year.

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