Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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56. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date for the release of the 2022 junior certificate results; and if a date cannot be provided, the reason that a date cannot be confirmed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50372/22]

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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My question pertains to the junior certificate, in particular as to when the results of that examination will be furnished.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I fully accept the complexity of junior certificate results, particularly following Covid, which destabilised the leaving certificate, the appeals and everything else that came with that. Today I contacted a number of schools in my area and asked if there were any issues I could raise. What came back continually was the junior certificate results. This has implications, for example, for students deciding whether to go into the leaving certificate applied, LCA, programme while waiting on their results. It has particular consequences for students who have left and are looking for their junior certificate results to enter the workforce.

I hope the Minister agrees it would not be unreasonable to have a date and timeline for the results. I understand the SEC is responsible but all of us who engage in education have a responsibility to people contacting us to give a date. That is all that is being asked for at the minute. If the Minister could furnish some degree of a timeframe, that would be great.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I hear and understand what the Deputy is saying and I understand the frustrations of students. I do not wish to be repetitive other than to say there were two sittings of the exams this year for leaving certificate. The appeals process had to come first. Those results issued last week. There were challenges in the recruitment of examiners.

I confirm there will be a full review of how we can best encourage more examiners to make themselves available, the question of dates being provided and certainty around dates. There will be a full review once the junior cycle results are complete. The appeals issued last Friday. The SEC has confirmed to me that it will take this week to do a further analysis on the limited number of subjects that remain outstanding and the time it will take and it will be in a position early next week to make a confirmation of the date available to the schools. I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this and thank him.

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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I appreciate the response. In particular, the idea of a review is welcome. We could learn a lot from such a review. As has been suggested by a number of schools and people who take part in it, does it call into question the validity of the junior certificate moving forward? Is this still an examination we are committed to? This year's cohort of junior certificate students awaiting a result have had a completely upturned secondary school experience as a whole. They entered during Covid and all the way through that was their experience. Now their junior certificate results are late to the point where it may impact the type of course they take. Does this bring into consideration whether this is a relevant exam that we want to continue with? Will that be considered in the review?

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The value and importance of the exams at junior cycle level are not in question. Since 2019, the timeframe has changed. Many moons ago, we were looking at September but because of the legal proceedings and that, the issuing of results was around October, just this month. This year, it was right and proper that there were two sittings of the leaving certificate. My view and experience of junior cycle is that it is important that those exams be made available to student and that they have an opportunity to take a State examination at that point in their learning career, learning journey or school experience. It is a good and positive experience for students. There have been a variety of issues this year for the SEC. It is charged with responsibility and has indicated that early next week it will be in a position to give a final date.