I am astounded by the Taoiseach's answer to my colleague and party leader, Deputy Kelly, that there has been yet another foul-up from the Department of Education and Skills in respect of the leaving certificate. The leaving certificate was postponed, the calculated grades system replaced it, the results date was postponed, and now it has been reported that for 10% of all students, there is an error in their calculated grades. Does the Taoiseach not think this deserves more of a reaction from the Government? Does he think it is acceptable that a party spokesperson on education, such as I, was not given any briefing or an indication of any briefing today from the Department about the upcoming statement from the Minister for Education and Skills? Does the Taoiseach not feel that it would be appropriate for the Minister to come to the House immediately to speak about this issue, which is yet another upsetting turn of events for those in the leaving certificate class of 2020?

I raised with the Taoiseach the issue of calculated grades about two weeks ago and I have to say he was somewhat dismissive. The news this afternoon is absolutely extraordinary. I am astounded, but the ones who will be even more astounded are the many students who worked extremely hard and had their grades downgraded. For them, there are countless questions. One of the main ones is whether those whose grades were downgraded by standardisation can now be revised upwards. Will they then be potentially able to access third level or will that be deferred to next year? There are so many questions.

The Taoiseach stated the Minister was going to make a statement at 4 p.m. That is not good enough. She needs to come in here. There are countless questions we need answers to and we need them now. The Minister needs to come here this afternoon. The lack of transparency from the Department is not good enough, nor is the fact that this has just been sprung on us.

The two Deputies who have just spoken on this issue are 100% correct. These are the same students whose parents paid for student accommodation on Friday afternoon, only to discover on Friday night that the accommodation might not be required because the universities and colleges they are going to might not be operating in that way for the next number of weeks or months and perhaps until Christmas. For the Government to have let this happen is absolutely disgraceful. The two Deputies have outlined that issue. What further compounds it for these parents, who worked so hard to put together the money to pay for accommodation that might not now be needed, is that we all know how much of an impossibility it could prove to get that money back.

I have responded on this matter to Deputy Kelly, but I will say to the other Deputies who correctly raised it that the fundamental priority has to be to communicate to the students involved because it is their grades and results. The Minister will have no difficulty coming to the House to make a presentation-----

She has to do it today.

She does not have to do it today. I think the statement has to be issued and-----

At any other time, this would-----

Through the Chair, if I could answer the question, it has to be communicated to students in the first instance and to be done in a comprehensive way so that all the issues are fully articulated and explained-----

At any other time, this would bring down the Government.

-----around the technical processes and the technology. I accept that the students of the class of 2020 have had a very challenging year-----

At any other time, this would bring down the Government.

The matter relates to technical issues, not political issues or anything to do with the Government overseeing it-----

It is not technical.

I refer to the technology, the coding and so on. It will be fully explained by the Minister.

It will result in upgrades for quite a number of students and the point has been raised about places at third level-----

Unbelievable.

It is extremely important that students are facilitated in their progression to third level. Covid-19 resulted in a calculated grades process being introduced----

This is a calculated mess.

It resulted in the abolition of the exam and, essentially-----

Deputy, please.

-----that is the process that came. It is not to audit the Department; it is to audit the process, which is important-----

The process is run by the Department.

It is a full, independent, external audit. It is the correct thing to do. It is a good thing to do.

I thank the Taoiseach. That concludes Questions on Promised Legislation.

Will the Taoiseach not acknowledge-----

I am sorry but we are out of time.

It is outrageous-----

We must move on to the next item.