Jerry Buttimer (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have listened to Senator Dolan and the Minister and concur with what has been said. I am a small bit concerned about the language we are using. The Minister used the phrase "robust review", which is fantastic. We have migrated in two areas. For example, An Bord Pleanála holds oral in-person hearings and the Department of Social Protection has an in-person physical appeals system. The Minister used the phrases "make representations", "the candidate is afforded the opportunity to be heard", and "there is a second opportunity for the candidate". She is 100% right that the review will be robust and provide a pathway.

Again, to return to my other point, and I suppose maybe I am getting older, more mature in my old age and becoming more reflective, but we need to cast aside some of the ways in which we have operated before. I wonder, notwithstanding the remarks made by the Minister, instead of her saying "make representations" can we allow for the in-person opportunity to be heard? We have an opportunity now. We have democratised education beyond where it was when I started teaching. We have student councils. Plus students can make representations and effect change in a whole variety of ways, which is to be welcomed. We have given, and rightly so, parental involvement in education a key place and a part, as a stakeholder. I fear that the one area that we have not continued is in the exam system per seeven though we have changed to the State Examinations Commission running exams and so on. Can the Minister explain the robustness a bit more? There is a part of me that likes the idea of giving the student or candidate the opportunity to be heard.I support where the Minister is coming from because I know what will happen and integrity is important. Why can we not go that little step further?