State Examinations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 May 2013

Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Questions (107)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

107. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a student (details supplied) in County Kildare, undertaking their leaving certificate, who had, due to their learning difficulties, a full time special needs assistant at primary level and throughout secondary school, has been denied a reader and an exemption from grammar and spelling at the impending leaving certificate examination, when such a derogation has been provided to the student up to and including their mock leaving certificate; the reason that the student has only recently been told that they must now attempt the leaving certificate without any of these facilities, which they had come to rely upon; if he will review the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24743/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.

The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonableaccommodations.

In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.