Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2023
418. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education her plans in respect of Irish applicants to Dutch universities who are in need of their Leaving Certificate results prior to 1 September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15278/23]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the operation, delivery and development of the State examinations.
The Deputy will be aware that 2022 marked the return to externally delivered examinations for all candidates at both Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle, with 61,108 candidates sitting Leaving Certificate examinations and 67,130 candidates sitting Junior Cycle examinations.
There were a number of factors that affected the timing of the issue of results for both examinations in 2022. These included a challenge in recruiting sufficient examiners, the provision of a set of deferred examinations at Leaving Certificate for candidates who experienced illness or bereavement, and the implementation of a post-marking adjustment, also at Leaving Certificate which gave effect to my commitment that results in 2022 would be no lower in the aggregate than in the previous year.
Leaving Certificate results issued on 2 September last year, with the results of Leaving Certificate appeals issuing five weeks later on 7 October, in time for integration with the CAO offers season. For students applying to universities abroad, in particular the EU and the UK, there were instances where universities were seeking to have results earlier than 2 September. I wrote to my counterparts across Europe in July 2022 asking for their assistance in ensuring students were facilitated, and my Department also engaged directly with universities in relation to students who were in contact looking for assistance. This was met with positive responses overall. I am confident that this will be the case again should the need arise in 2023.
The SEC has not confirmed a date on which the Leaving Certificate 2023 results will be issued. However, it continues to work intensively to prepare for the examinations process.
