Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

When I opened this debate, I set out the objectives and principles underpinning this Bill. At its simplest, it will be appreciated that the Bill is designed to help our leaving certificate classes of 2021 to complete their schooling and to progress to the next chapter of their lives. This progression and transition is one of the recognised milestones in the lives of so many students for many years now.

From our first days in office last summer, the Government has sought to honour our responsibility to students through prioritising the reopening of schools. In determining to do its absolute best for students, the Government depends on the assistance of the students themselves, wider school communities, including all school staff, and, in bringing this legislation to this House today, it depends now on the assistance of Members. I express my sincere gratitude for that assistance being so forthcoming in such a generous manner.

Once enacted, this Bill will confer new or additional powers on the SEC, the body that has managed and operated State examinations for almost 20 years in a very professional manner. The SEC enjoys the confidence of all the actors in the education system in that regard. Most important, however, through the legislation, the students undertaking their leaving certificate in 2021 will be treated in a very similar fashion to their predecessors.The leaving certificate this year's students will receive will have, as I mentioned, the same look and feel as any other year. This is also true for the class of 2020, whose certificates will issue from the SEC by virtue of this Bill.

In conferring those additional powers on the SEC, the Bill allows me as Minister to ensure we can bring some normality to the lives of students in these most unusual and even unprecedented times. As a country we are now looking forward to reopening and returning to so much that we have had to pause since spring 2020, and so too can the students of the leaving certificate for 2021 now look forward positively.

I have been before this House on many occasions since my appointment and I know at first hand, with the contributions from Senators on each occasion, the commitment Senators have to leaving certificate students. That level of interest in and commitment to those students has been evident again throughout this long debate this afternoon. I can say we now have a shared objective in absolutely wanting the best for all our students, even if, on occasion, we might differ on how to achieve that. This afternoon a variety of different points have been raised but time will only allow me to refer to some, so I will speak to those that have had a common thread throughout the afternoon.

A point was raised by Senator Mullen about this country standing independently and recognising its ability to forge a path in education and I certainly agree with the Senator in that respect. I respect his genuine positive and good intention in making that point. It is important to acknowledge that in this instance we are almost unique in Ireland in offering the class of 2021 a chance to avail of an accredited grades system or the written exams in June. It is a remarkable achievement and statement by this country which shows we recognise we have the potential and the ability to deliver in a unique way to meet unique challenges to the competencies and abilities of our students. We will do what best serves our students at every opportunity. It is important to make that point.

Another common thread this afternoon referenced the leaving certificate for 2022. I am conscious that the students in that year have had their own significant challenges in being out of school and having limited opportunities for in-person learning. I have made it clear before that we will look to make suitable accommodation for those students, recognising the time when they were not in a position to avail of in-person teaching and learning. I want to be very clear about that.

A number of speakers raised the question of canvassing and it is very important the Bill contains a provision on the prohibition of canvassing. It is a very important reassurance for everyone involved in the process, so it is only right and proper for it to be there. Various speakers have raised genuine concerns about students being inadvertently discommoded because of the actions of somebody else. It is important that such a consideration could be addressed, so I want to be very clear that that part of the Bill has a very clear acknowledgement that there will be a robust and significant review process of individual cases, including individual circumstances or information pertaining to a case. They will be robustly examined and adjudicated upon, which should give assurance that a decision will not be made in a single fell swoop. This will be a very considered and involved review process.

A final point relates to the senior cycle review, as the topic featured extensively this afternoon. Senators are aware of the senior cycle review and we are awaiting the advisory report, which will come in the not-too-distant future. It will be a significant step forward for the entire senior cycle review.The review will be looking at all areas, including transition year, the leaving certificate applied, the leaving certificate vocational programme, LCVP, and the leaving certificate established.

It is important to acknowledge, as previous speakers stated, that there are incredible learnings from this past year. These are learnings from developments we would never have envisaged we would have been capable of achieving two years ago. It is important that all that we have learned in this present climate will feed into the process. Equally, there is an acknowledgement that there is much that is positive about the present senior cycle. Like any experience of education, or indeed any experience of life, there is always room to do things differently, better and in a more visionary manner.

Members made strong contributions today about the importance of ensuring every child is benefited by his or her experience of the senior cycle, feels included and has a place in it as he or she would experience it in school. That will be underpinning all of my judgment and involvement going forward in terms of what we can achieve for students at senior cycle. I look forward to strong consultation and inclusive debate in terms of how we move forward with the senior cycle.

It is important also to emphasise we have achieved an awful lot in the education sector in difficult and challenging circumstances over these past 18 months. This has been on the back of positive and proactive engagement from the widest possible consultative process that included parents, teachers, students, school management bodies and everybody invested in the education sector. The senior cycle review will be in a similar vein. It will be strongly based on consultative and collaborative engagement. Much has been made of the voices of particular sectors being heard. A system can only be strengthened when all the voices of those involved are equally heard. That is the strength of what we are achieving with this Bill. It is my intention going forward that this strength will be used in the debate and the process which will evolve around the senior cycle.

Today's debate has ensured many points made by Senators have been brought into the public domain. I will give further consideration to these points. I look forward to returning to the House next week and engaging with Senators further. I thank them for their genuine engagement and enthusiasm, along with their positive and proactive engagement with all that happens in the education sector. We are enriched because of it. I welcome that collaboration and engagement continuing.