Shane Curley (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State. I have to be brutally honest. As a language teacher myself, that is not a good enough response. It is coming from the SEC. I know it is not the Minister who is directly responding there - she has to liaise with the SEC to be able to respond - but that is not a good enough response and it lets students down massively in this country. It is becoming increasingly frustrating to have to deal with the SEC when it is basically digging its heels in. It might as well be honest and say that it is worried that if it increases exam time for all students across the board with dyslexia and dyscalculia, it may disadvantage other students. It is worried about the overall integrity of the exams. That is the basic honesty of this. It is saying it is in line with best practice to roll it out on a pilot project basis and try to control the lack of a big bang at the end. Let us listen to Dr. Colman Noctor, a child psychologist. Let us listen to Dr. Keith Murphy in TU Dublin. Let us listen to the experts who are telling us it is not best practice to put students under time pressure in exams.

Take Irish, for example. Some 14% of students are asking for exemptions. One of the main reasons is they feel under pressure to spit stuff out on paper under massive time pressure in an exam and it is just not good enough anymore. In 2009, an expert advisory group told the SEC to immediately roll it out nationally. In 2026, we are looking at what is in line with best practice to try to make sure there are appropriate conditions for eligibility. Give them the extra time. I am sorry; this is not the Minister of State's fault but this is becoming so frustrating and it is just not good enough anymore. We cannot accept this. For people of the country, as TDs and Senators, we are supposed to make sure the best outcomes happen in the education system for students. This is just not good enough and I am sorry, I just cannot accept that response.