I thank the Tánaiste and call Deputy Barry of the Solidarity-People Before Profit Party.

Yesterday, the Tánaiste told leaving certificate students that clarity on the exams will be provided within the next few weeks. This comment went down like a lead balloon among students who are already feeling a real strain on their mental health. This strain on 17 and 18-year-olds is being caused by both the continuing uncertainty and the continuing threat of a forced leaving certificate examination. The Tánaiste’s comments indicate to me that the Government is both out of touch and out of the loop when it comes to really understanding what is going on here. The Irish Second-Level Students' Union, ISSU, poll published last week showed just 4% support for a stand-alone leaving certificate. Does the Tánaiste accept that stand-alone exams cannot now go ahead given such a crushing level of opposition from the students themselves?

I thank the Deputy. I totally understand and appreciate that sixth years are under a great deal of pressure. These are the same students who lost a chunk of fifth year and are now also losing several weeks, perhaps even longer, of sixth year. It is very difficult for them. I know that they want an answer from Government as soon as possible on what is going to happen with the leaving certificate examinations and we want to do that but it requires some planning, co-ordination and consultation and the ISSU, as mentioned by the Deputy, is part of that discussion now. A group has been set up involving the Department of Education, the State Examinations Commission, two representatives from the ISSU, together with the teachers' unions, principals and management. It will meet again on Friday and we will try to bring this to a conclusion as soon as possible because we understand the pressure and stress that people are under. In developing a plan, however, we need to be able to answer the questions that they will then ask thereafter and that it what we are working on now.