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LAST UPDATE | 28 Feb 2023
PLANS FOR LEAVING Cert students to sit Paper 1 in both English and Irish at the end of fifth year are set to be deferred.
Minister for Education Norma Foley is to bring a memo to Cabinet today setting out the changes.
Last March, the minister announced that as an “interim measure” students entering fifth year this coming September would sit Paper One in both Irish and English a year earlier at the end of fifth year, instead of sixth year.
At the time, the minister said the idea was that students will no longer have to face 100% of their exam on one single day in the month of June and aimed to ease pressure on exam candidates.
However, the plan sparked controversy with teachers’ unions and students criticising the move.
It is understood the minister and officials engaged with stakeholders, student representative groups, and parent representative groups over the last number of months to hear concerns over these proposed interim changes.
Key concerns outlined included the significant disruption that students entering fifth year this September have experienced to their education as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking to RTÉ’s News at One, Minister Norma Foley said that “one of the key components for senior cycle reform has been to embed wellbeing to empower students to give their best in an exam situation and that remains the focus”.
“However, I would acknowledge it and I think we’ve to acknowledge it in society, Covid has had an impact, not just in education but across the wider field. And we take cognizance of that,” Foley said.
With the plans now deferred, it is understood that over the next few months the minister will examine further when and how to implement this change in light of the concerns raised.
The measure was an interim measure that formed part of the remodelling of the Leaving Cert which the minister announced last year.
In a joint statement this morning, the TUI and ASTI unions said the deferral is a “welcome development”.
“We had stated at all times that this was an educationally regressive move that would have increased pressure on students who would have faced a high stakes examination in both fifth and sixth year,” the unions said.
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) has also welcomed the planned deferral.
“There is a sense of relief amongst the cohort of students who were initially planning to sit these exams at the end of fifth year in 2024,” ISSU president Caitlin Faye Maniti said.
“The ISSU has identified serious concerns for students in regards to this interim measures – the lack of clarity on the logistics, the impact of TY and the fundamental design of the curriculum to be examined at the end of two years,” she said.
“The ISSU are determined to continue to advocate for a solution that reduces the stress and anxiety for students during their senior cycle journey.”
Minister Foley has also today announced the establishment of the senior cycle redevelopment programme delivery board, which will be responsible for overseeing the Leaving Cert reforms.
Relevant officials from the Department of Education and its agencies will also attend programme delivery board meetings.
Dr Harold Hislop, former chief inspector of the Department of Education, has been appointed as the independent chair of the board.
In addition to the programme delivery board, Foley is also establishing the senior cycle redevelopment partners’ forum.
This is a representative stakeholder engagement group that will underpin the collaboration necessary to support implementation and, where appropriate, further developments under the Senior Cycle redevelopment programme.
Separately, Justice Minister Simon Harris will bring the General Scheme of a Bill that will establish a statutory agency for domestic, sexual and gender based violence by 1 January 2024.
The agency will coordinate the implementation of the Government’s Zero Tolerance strategy, and report to the Minister for Justice.
The agency will also spearhead the delivery of services to victims, including the provision of accommodation, helplines and other supports.
With reporting by Hayley Halpin
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RIP little one. How heartbreaking. The poor little mite. Thoughts go out to his poor parents & that they find the strength to cope some how.
Such a sad story, if the HSE had concerns in the past why did they not act sooner? Such a waste of a life and the HSE have a lot to answer for
Without knowing the specifics of this case, it sounds like the boy may have died in his sleep, (IE: cardiac issues). Can we please hold the HSE bashing until after p/m results are released?
RIP Little Man, RIP.
Ya Tom. Serious assertions there based on what exactly?
Blaming James o Reilly is pathetic. Using this tragedy as a little political football is disgusting. The family, regardless of circumstance deserve more.
Only going on hearsay but it looks like there may be mental health problems involved and if so then I’m not surprised that the HSE’s systems have failed, we’ve seen it happen time and again. Such a tragedy.
Hearsay is a dangerous thing Fon. Imagine it were untrue? Heaping more pain on this family at a time of immense tragedy. Necessary???
Comments based on press release from the HSE stating they are familiar with the family as they have been monitoring them ….. Obviously not week enough I think
It’s a standard procedure in the case of infant death outside of a hospital setting.
of course it’s ultimately his job,he takes the huge salary and benefits to run the health service,if theres failings collectively or individually within the hse it ultimately falls in his lap in my opinion,he’s as bad as Harney and she was dreadful
Terrible thing to happen. Hope the family get the support they need. x
Comments based on press release from the HSE stating they are familiar with the family as they have been monitoring them ….. Obviously not week enough I think
I don’t know the specifics of this tragic incident and face it, neither does anyone else commenting on this page. Reading between the lines, yes mental health issues may well have been a factor. However, we don’t know what the HSE involvement with the family was before the death of the child and what other factors were at play.
It may well be the case that there was a failure of HSE systems or it could be the case that the standard of care was high and it was an unpreventable tragic outcome.
To suggest otherwise is unfair on all those concerned.
I think all managers should be responsible for employees in their company, otherwise why have them? If they can’t do the job, there’s plenty out there that can.
tragic,the poor little lad,if the hse are found to be at fault then James Reilly has blood on his hands
Really? Is James Reilly supposed to be personally monitoring EVERY employee in the HSE to see they do their jobs right? I’m no fan of his but you can’t seriously expect him to be held responsible for everything that goes on.
I read that he died of asphyxiation.
Front page of some newspaper this morning said the police are treating the death as suspicious. It always makes it so much more horrendous and heartbreaking. God love his little soul x
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