Still no date confirmed for issuing Junior Cert results

The State Examinations Commission said 'every effort will be made to issue the results as soon as possible'.

No date has yet been set for the issuing of this year's Junior Cert results. 

A number of "significant issues" have impacted the delivery and marking of exams this year, delaying the results, which are traditionally issued to students in September. 

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) confirmed on Monday that it is not yet able to provide a date for when students will get their results.

A spokesman for the SEC said it has been engaged in the planning and delivery of the exams across the Leaving Cert, Leaving Cert Applied, and Junior Cycle since details of the arrangements for the 2022 exams were announced in February. 

“This was a significant undertaking in the current year considering the ongoing effects of Covid-19." 

Some 131,000 candidates entered to sit the examinations this year, an increase of 7,000 compared to the last time a full set of examinations was run in 2019.

“The requirement for increased numbers of examiners across all subjects, especially at Junior Cycle, has been especially challenging in the current year," the spokesman said.

Priority in any year is given to the Leaving Cert, and the date of issue for results this year was later than usual due to a number of factors, he added.

This included the deferred sitting of the Leaving Cert examinations over the summer and the commitment by Education Minister Norma Foley that the outcomes would be no lower than the outcomes in 2021. 

This year's Leaving Cert results were issued to students more than a month ago, on September 2. 

Appeals process

“The next priority is processing the Leaving Certificate appeals following the application deadline of September 12 last.” 

The appeals process is nearing completion, with appeal results due to issue to students this Friday, October 7, the spokesman added. 

"The SEC will provide these results to the CAO in time for integration with the CAO offers season," he said.

“In parallel with the Leaving Certificate appeals, work on the processing of Junior Cycle results is ongoing, with marking complete in most subjects.

Given the priority afforded to the Leaving Certificate appeals, we are not yet able to provide a date for the issue of the Junior Cycle results at this time.” 

“Every effort will be made by the SEC to issue these results as soon as possible and to provide candidates, parents, and schools with certainty about the arrangements for issuing the results in due course.”