I propose to take Questions Nos. 89, 90 and 91 together.
I propose to take PQs 26565/22, 26566/22 and 26567/22 together.
The NPCPP Leaving Cert Helpline is a national free phone service provided for all post primary final year students and their parents/guardians. This service offers professional and confidential one to one support, advice, and guidance on LC, LCA, LCVP, VTOS, QQI results, and CAO offers. The Helpline opens on the day the Leaving Cert results are issued and runs during the CAO first round offers.
The Helpline phones are staffed by a professional team of guidance counsellors and supports parents/guardians and students around the points system, accredited grades, rechecks, repeats, CAO procedures, apprenticeships, traineeships, and further training options and many other queries. Information on SUSI grants is also available.
The estimated cost of running the Helpline for one week is €40,000 to which my Department gives €20,000. Because the Helpline is operated by Guidance Counsellors who are in schools during term time, there would be a need to train additional staff, which would incur a cost.