Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that are being taken to ensure there are no delays in the publication of the leaving certificate examination results, which would cause unnecessary frustration for students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34883/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The State Examinations Commission and the Department of Education are acutely aware of the needs of candidates and other stakeholders in regard to the provision of Leaving Certificate results and will continue to do everything they can to ensure results are delivered as soon as possible. The State Examinations Commission announced on June 23 that Friday September 2 is the date it on which it intends to issue Leaving Certificate 2022 results.  This date is in line with the dates in both 2020 and 2021 when results issued.

There are significant factors which, when taken together, meant that it was not possible previously for the SEC to give a planned date for issue of the results which include: 

1. The holding of a deferred sitting of the examinations for students who experience close family bereavement or for reasons related to serious injury or illness; or on public health grounds due to Covid-19;

2. The commitment that the overall set of results in 2022 will be no lower, in the aggregate, than the 2021 results; and,

3. Securing and maintaining the availability of sufficient numbers of examiners to mark written examination

In addition, in advance of the issue of the results, sufficient time must also be allowed for an extensive range of checks and quality assurance procedures which are required in the resulting process to ensure that the highest standards possible are maintained.