Leaving Cert Results: Students being left behind in the race for CAO points

Picture, if you can, the public reaction to an announcement that all students who wish to study engineering need to have an honours grade in Irish.

It is not the case, nor is it likely to happen. But many college applicants hoping to enter academic disciplines with zero maths elements are being forced by the race for points to pursue the subject at higher level for Leaving Certificate.

The intentions behind bonus points for maths were well-meaning, and have yielded results in numbers studying for honours maths. But all such moves have repercussions.