Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD, has warned that delays to the publication of Leaving Cert results will cause unnecessary frustration for students and urged the government to ensure disruption is prevented.
His comments follow the Education Minister’s announcement today that results will be published on 2nd September.
Speaking today, Teachta Ó Laoghaire said:
“These delays are very frustrating for students and are difficult to comprehend as the system this year will not be subject to the same challenges as existed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The government, the State Examinations Board and the Department of Education have had plenty of time to plan and prepare for the publication of these results, to ensure that they are published in a timely and efficient way.
“The reason for this delay must be explained. If this is due to an insufficient number of markers, we must know why adequate preparation was not done as the markers required could have been anticipated well in advance.
“Students will now be under pressure to make preparations for college within very short periods, such as securing appropriate accommodation. We must ensure that everything possible is done to assist students with these challenges.
“There must be a particular focus on international students, who may have been allocated places conditional on a certain starting date. The Minister must engage with international application bodies, including UCAS, to ensure that students won’t lose their place because of the delayed publication of the Leaving Cert results.
“The publication of Leaving Cert results is already a stressful enough time for students and their families. The Department has no excuse for adding to this stress through failure to adequately plan. The government must do much more to ensure that students receive their results in a timely and efficient way.”
