Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for giving me the opportunity to provide an update on this important matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee.

The State Examinations Commission has responsibility for the reasonable accommodations at certificate examinations, RACE, scheme. A central tenet of the RACE scheme is to ensure equitable treatment for all candidates. The range of accommodations provided within the scheme has been designed to ensure fairness for all when facilitating candidates in demonstrating their level of achievement. It is important to note that access to the scheme is needs based rather than based on a specific diagnosis.

The review that the Deputy raises is being undertaken by the State Examinations Commission during a time of senior cycle redevelopment and in the context of the wider special educational needs policy landscape. It is a comprehensive and system-wide review of the scheme. The programme for Government commits to developing an appropriate mechanism to allow additional time for students with specific needs and in certain circumstances, and also to ensure that those who use assistive technology can do so in State examinations. The review now under way by the State Examinations Commission will seek to take account of these and all relevant issues, and best practice internationally. The review is being directed by the board of commissioners of the State Examinations Commission and overseen by a steering group, with the terms of reference published on the State Examinations Commission website. The steering group is chaired by the CEO of the State Examinations Commission and is composed of external members drawn from government, academic and international organisations, and internal State Examinations Commission members of staff. The inclusion of internal State Examinations Commission members of staff as well as external members is designed to ensure that rolling changes can be implemented as the review progresses rather than awaiting a big bang approach at the end of the full review period. This will ensure any changes are implemented as early as possible in the interests of students.

Already on a pilot basis for 2025 examinations, additional time for vision-impaired candidates who are under the care of the visiting teacher service is being increased from ten minutes per hour or part of an hour to 15 minutes for the junior cycle, leaving certificate applied and the leaving certificate examinations.

This increases the additional time for these candidates to between 25% and 38% of the total examination duration. For example, in an examination of two and a half hours, additional time of 15 minutes per hour increases the total examination time now provided by 30%.

The consultation to take place over the coming months will inform any appropriate changes to the shape of the scheme for the 2026 State exams and beyond, with the details of the scheme for 2026 to be communicated to schools before the end of this year in line with normal timelines. Given the wide range of difficulties for which accommodations are sought, it is intended to seek the views of users through extensive consultation and engagement so as to capture all perspectives and ensure all voices are heard equally. This will include young people with special educational needs, their families, and representative organisations, including Dyslexia Ireland, and is to take place over the coming months.

The State Examinations Commission absolutely acknowledges that there is increasing complexity in the special educational landscape and, by extension, in the impact on candidates with special educational needs taking the certificate examinations. The extensive consultation and engagement to be undertaken as part of this comprehensive review will provide an opportunity for the views of those affected to be incorporated into the consideration.

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