asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the distress caused to parents and children and the ambiguity created by the wording of certificates issued by his Department to candidates who failed examinations in Irish only, which certify the subjects in which the examinees passed but add that the examinees failed to pass the examination in general and omit to explain that failure in Irish was the only cause of failure to pass the examination in general; and if he will take steps to have certificates issued in such cases explaining the cause of failure.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Wording of Examination Certificates.
33.
Mr. Ryan
I assume that the Deputy is referring to the statement of the results of the examination which may be issued to a candidate at the Intermediate or Leaving Certificate Examination on payment of a fee of 2/6, whether the candidate qualified for the award of the formal certificate or not. A candidate may fail in either of these examinations as a whole through not reaching the required standard in Irish or in a specified minimum number of subjects. The majority of the candidates who fail in Irish do not, apart from their failure in Irish, reach the required standard for a pass in the minimum number of subjects. In any event I do not consider that there is any case for stating that a candidate failed to pass the Intermediate or Leaving Certificate Examinations through failure in a particular subject or subjects.
Mr. Ryan
Arising from the Minister's reply, in which he clearly admitted the ambiguity which arises by reason of the fact that the person who fails in the examination, generally through failing to pass the minimum number of subjects and/or the Irish language, does the Minister not feel that it is only fair that the certificate should clearly state the reason for failing the examination, whether it be in the minimum number of subjects or in the Irish language? Furthermore, does he not consider it unfair to pupils that this doubt should exist just because the certificate does not state the simple reason why the people failed in the examination?
It is not a certificate to which the Deputy is referring; it is a statement of the results of the examination. It is available to people who pass and gain a formal certificate and to people who fail, so it is a true statement of the facts of the examination, and I do not think there is any need for making available a certificate of the degree of failure.
Mr. Ryan
If an applicant asks for a statement as to the reason for his failing the examination, and if he pays half-a-crown, will the Minister be prepared to have a certificate given to him?
It is not the cost. It is the fact that we issue a statement of the facts of the examination, what the students passed in, and the Deputy will appreciate that if we go into the area he suggests, we would be issuing all sorts of things.
Deputy Ryan rose.
The Deputy has asked two supplementary Questions already.
Mr. Ryan
But I have not yet got the reasons why the Minister issues half a statement and not a full statement. A full statement should say why the candidate failed.
The Deputy is presenting an argument, not asking a question.
There are many firms which are not interested in Irish, but which would like to know that an applicant for a job had a high standard of education. They are not able to know and they should have a certificate. It is like having to possess a certificate to get in here. It is the same thing.
Surely the Deputy does not think that is a question?
Firms like to know the educational standard of the applicant.
The Deputy can make that statement on another occasion.
A certified statement would make available information as to what subjects the candidate passed.