Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, the State Examinations Commission, SEC, has statutory responsibility for the operation of the State exams. It has a responsibility to candidates to ensure their work is marked to the highest standards of quality and integrity. I appreciate that many students are frustrated that they have not yet received their examination results, and I have been assured by the SEC that it is seeking to issue results in the earliest timeframe possible.

This year is the first time since 2019 that all candidates sat the written examinations, which is a very welcome development. As in any year, priority this year was given to the leaving certificate and these results issued on 2 September. The next priority has been processing the leaving certificate appeals, and these results issued on Friday.

It was essential to prioritise the leaving certificate and leaving certificate appeals results, given that they have a direct impact on access to further and higher education as well as the world of work. Further to a 2019 court judgment on the matter of appeals results, the SEC has altered the sequence in which it issues results, with leaving certificate appeal results being issued to the Central Applications Office, CAO, in time for integration with the CAO offers season. It is also worth noting that this year overall there was an 11% increase in the number of appeals relative to 2019.

The next priority is the junior cycle results and this process is well advanced but ongoing. Marking in almost all junior cycle subjects has been completed. However, in a small number of subjects in which examiner supply challenges were most severe during the summer months, the marking process is ongoing. For that reason the SEC has advised it is not possible to confirm a date at this point. These examiner supply challenges have been particularly acute for junior cycle, and in most subjects the number of examiners was significantly fewer than the number required to mark the subject during the normal summer window. At the same time, the number sitting State examinations, including junior cycle, continues to rise year on year.

It is also important to recognise that the examiner challenge was one of a number of issues this year which meant results of the examinations are later than they would be in a normal year. A deferred leaving certificate sitting was held for candidates who may have suffered bereavement or illness, including Covid-19.

Every effort will be made by the SEC to issue junior cycle results as soon as possible.

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