'No set timeline' for Leaving Cert talks

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said that the Government's priority was finding a solution that was agreeable to students, unions and parents.

Talks on the Leaving Cert between the Government and unions continue this weekend, but there is no set timeline, a senior minister has said.

Government sources have indicated that a decision on the Leaving Cert — likely allowing for a choice between a written test and calculated grades — would be made at Tuesday's Cabinet meeting. 

However, Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien said that there would be "no artificial timelines" placed on talks. 

He said that the Government's priority was finding a solution that was agreeable to students, unions and parents. Mr O'Brien told RTÉ's The Week In Politics that education "remains a priority" for the Government.

If it happens by Tuesday, that's absolutely fine. But setting a timeframe may not be helpful.

Independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice said students "did not know if they were coming or going" due to delays from the Government on making a decision.

On mandatory hotel quarantine, Mr O'Brien said that it "is not the silver bullet" to bring infection rates down and said it was not inevitable that the Government would impose it on all travellers. 

He said just 1% of cases had been conclusively linked to international travel. The Government on Friday announced a further 18 Category 2 countries from which travellers will have to quarantine for 14 days by law.

"The idea that there is a silver bullet and you can close off Ireland and deal with cross-border travel is not the case."

Mr O'Brien said that the Government had to act quickly, while Mr Fitzmaurice said that there would wasn't "planeloads of people coming through the countries announced on Friday" and that other non-Category 2 countries had been used as a backdoor into Ireland.