Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I am intensely aware of the interruption experienced by students due to take their leaving certificate examination this year. The level of stress as they awaited certainty about this year's examinations was felt by all of us. I appreciate that the Minister has made great changes to the examinations, but these students have missed an entire year of a two-year programme. I am really worried about students' mental health. It is time we reformed the leaving certificate and the steps to do that must occur now.

I am aware that arrangements have been made in conjunction with the State Examinations Commission to put in place numerous measures to take account of disruptions and challenges caused by the pandemic, including revised dates for coursework or oral examinations, but are provisions being made for students who cannot sit the examinations due to Covid-19 or long Covid?

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