Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The points the Senators have raised are very valid. The Taoiseach said in the Dáil today that he met the senior statistician in the Department of Education and the Minister for Education yesterday. It is a complex issue as the Senators know. There are two cohorts within this year’s leaving certificate; some who sat the junior certificate and some who did not sit it. That throws up a lot of complexities and the Senators understand that. That is part of what has to be worked through in arriving at a decision. I cannot say when we will have a decision. I have been asked that every day in recent weeks but it will be an early decision. We had a decision on this at the end of February last year and we are now coming towards the end of January of this year. We will have a decision far earlier this year than we had last year and that clarity will be forthcoming as soon as possible.

I refer to the good points the Senators made on representation for parents and I will bring that to the Minister after this session. I was not aware of that dynamic within the representative groups. I will bring what the Senators have highlighted and articulated to the Minister for her direct attention.