Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 324: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she is satisfied with the standard of allocation of grades in the leaving certificate examinations 2007 in view of the fact that 2,063 upgrades were granted on appeal; her views on whether this will have serious effect on allocation and availability of third level places at this late stage in the academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24291/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations, including organising the holding of examinations and issuing the results of examinations. The number of upgrades awarded in the Leaving Certificate must be looked at in context. In the Leaving Certificate in 2007, there were 53926 candidates, of whom 3056 sat the Leaving Certificate Applied programme, 14080 sat the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the remainder sat the established Leaving Certificate. Over 350,000 subjects were graded, and around 700,000 subject components were examined. A total of 10,135 appeals were received, representing 2.9% of the overall subjects graded, and 2063 results, or 0.6% of the overall grades marked, were upgraded.

We can be proud that our Leaving Certificate operates to an extremely high level of fairness, quality and transparency. Results are published and subject to a high degree of public scrutiny, marking schemes are made available and candidates can view their scripts to ensure that the marking schemes have been fairly applied. This enables them to decide whether they should appeal their result, and is designed to ensure that any errors are addressed promptly. The results issued in August are provisional pending the result of such appeals.

When there is a change in grade as a result of an appeal, the Central Application Office is notified by the State Examinations Commission, and third level colleges are contacted as appropriate. The colleges make every effort to ensure that students are accommodated where the revised result gives entitlement to admission to a course, or that, if this cannot be facilitated, the admission is deferred to the following year.