Education Minister under fire as Leaving Cert results delayed

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD arriving for the Dail sitting at the Convention Centre Dublin. Photo:Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

The Labour Party's accusing the Education Minister of showing contempt to students, after Leaving Cert results were delayed.

Norma Foley confirmed last night 60,000 students would not receive their calculated grades until September 7, instead of mid-August.

CAO offers will be issued four days later on September 11, meaning it could be October before many start third-level courses.

Labour's Aodhan Ó Riordan's strongly criticising the minister for initially refusing to commit to a date when asked about it in the Dail.

"This is quite sadly an unbelievable situation," he said.

"Considering all that Leaving Cert students have gone through, that the minister was on her feet for two and a half hours and more in the Dail and didn't inform the house that this was the intention of the department of education.

"And now we're finding out through media reports that it's true. So I find this absolutely unbelievable. The department of education is clearly in complete chaos."

Arthur Godsil, a former headmaster of St Andrew's College in Dublin, said the delay is 'inexcusable'.

He said it will affect students as they get ready for third-level.

"I would imagine that the universities will have some difficulty in rearranging their entry levels," he said.

"Also you've got the whole idea of accommodation for students going into third-level, the whole issue of being able to plan basically for what's happening.

"I just don't understand why there's been a delay of three weeks. It seems to me to be inexcusable."