Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

606. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the 2020 CAO entrance points will be applied to the leaving certificate 2020 cohort that will be resitting exams in November 2020. [25281/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous with regard to management of their academic affairs including admissions procedures. The CAO process applications for undergraduate courses on behalf of the HEIs Decisions on admissions, including deadlines for submission of applications or acceptance of offers, are made by the HEIs who then instruct the CAO to make offers to successful candidates. As such, neither I nor my Department have a role in the operation of the CAO.

I understand, based on the information available to me, that students who opt to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations in November and who receive an improved CAO offer on foot of these results will receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. As these offers are still part of the 2020 application cycle, they will be based on 2020 CAO points.

However this is only the case for courses on the student's 2020 CAO application that are a higher preference than any they have yet been offered. If they wish to apply for a course that is not on their 2020 application, they will need to submit a 2021 CAO application and will be receive offers based on 2021 points levels for these courses.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

607. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the HPAT results from 2020 will carry over to 2021 for leaving certificate 2020 students reapplying to medicine courses for entry in 2021 that are resitting some of their leaving certificate exams in November 2020. [25282/20]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

616. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the health professions admissions test rules will be amended in order that the HPAT grades achieved in 2020 can be used for university entry to study medicine in 2021 and students do not have to repeat the HPAT tests. [24973/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 607 and 616 together.

The HPAT is independently administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) on behalf of the universities’ medical schools and the RCSI. The selection criteria and process for admission to medical schools is a matter for those institutions in line with their statutory autonomy in relation to academic affairs.

I understand that students choose to sit the 2020 Leaving Certificate exams in November and who receive an improved CAO offer on foot of these results will receive a deferred offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year. Such offers are part of the 2020 application cycle, and will use the results of the 2020 HPAT sitting. However neither I nor my Department has a function in the administration of the HPAT, or in deciding the length of time for which HPAT results are valid.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

608. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if students whose calculated leaving certificate grades increase on appeal will be guaranteed a place on their desired course that they had missed out on. [25286/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

At the time of closing the appeal application process on Wednesday 16September, some 12,300 students had appealed almost 33,700 grades. Every effort will be made to process appeals as quickly as possible but I am informed it is not possible at this time for the Department of Education to commit to a date for the issue of the appeal results. Students will be notified of this date as soon as possible. It is not possible to provide an expedited appeal for any student or group of students. All appeals will be processed, and results released, simultaneously to ensure fairness and equity to all.

Where a successful appeal results in a student receiving a higher preference CAO offer, every effort will be made by higher education institutions to accommodate them in taking up a place on their new course. However in the event that this is not possible, the student will receive a deferred offer to take up a place on that course in the 2021/22 academic year.