Timmy Dooley (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I want to reflect on the fact that the Covid pandemic continues to ravage through society, albeit hopefully with an end in sight with the roll-out of the vaccine taking place. We all look forward to the day when it comes to pass. There is little doubt that virtually no section of society throughout the world has not been impacted by the pandemic. There is no sector more impacted than our young adults and teenagers, who effectively have had their lives on hold, not having had the experiences that others have had. Like others, I believe the leaving certificate class of 2021, from an educational point of view, has suffered more than the leaving certificate class of last year. I call on the Government to bring certainty to this situation without delay. It is far too easy for people to brush aside and suggest there is access to teaching online. It belies the fact that the home life of many teenagers is not conducive to online learning. In recent weeks, I have spoken to students who do not have their own rooms. They do not have a desk or a table to put the computer on. Many of them do not have broadband. Many of them do not have an individual piece of technology to use for their classes.It may be the case that their parents and siblings are at home and there are not multiple laptops and iPads in every house. I take offence when people suggest that it is just a matter of studying online. There is also the issue that some people, quite frankly, are just not able to concentrate in that kind of environment whereas others are.

Let us not divide students. Let us give them options and the simplest and easiest way to do that is to give choice. Let us give everyone the offer of predicted grades. For those excellent students or those who strive for excellence and want the challenge of sitting the papers, let us give them that opportunity when it is safe and appropriate. With the roll-out of the vaccine that is now happening, that will be possible to allow students to participate in the CAO offers of later this year. I appeal to the Government to give certainty without delay to these young people through an offer of predicted grades with the opportunity to sit the leaving certificate examinations at a later stage for those who wish to do so.