Student ‘overjoyed’ to start college after High Court win

By Ann O’Loughlin, Niall Murray, and Sean O’Riordan

The student who was forced to take a High Court action over a Leaving Cert marking error has said she is “overjoyed” to have been given a veterinary medicine course at UCD.

Rebecca Carter, 19, whose Leaving Cert Business paper result was upgraded to a H1 shortly before 12pm yesterday, received her CAO college offer just after 1pm and accepted immediately.

Ms Carter, who starts in UCD on Monday, said she was off to buy refill pads and pens for her first day at college.

“I’m just delighted now that it’s set in stone and it’s finalised and now I don’t have to worry about anything else or any little uncertainty,” she said.

After the State Examinations Commission (SEC) contacted her to confirm her grade on the disputed Business paper was being upgraded to a H1, she sat by her laptop, “hitting the refresh button” and waiting for the CAO offer.

Ms Carter, from Ardcolm Drive, Rectory Hall, Castlebridge, Co Wexford, sued the SEC, challenging its decision not to recheck her points score in time to allow her to obtain a place at UCD.

Mr Justice Humphreys said the situation faced by Ms Carter had been highly unfair.

The board of the SEC said it regrets errors which can have adverse consequences for individuals and wished Ms Carter well in her future studies.

The SEC statement added: “Noting the matter is back before the court on Monday next, and in the absence of the final court order (known as the perfected order) and the written judgment of the court, it would be inappropriate for the board to comment further at this time on the wider legal issues raised, or on any action the SEC might decide to take on foot of these.”

ASTI deputy general secretary Diarmaid de Paor said any changes to the appeal system would put even more pressure on the availability of examiners, as fewer are doing the work due to poor pay.