Leaving Certificate examination stress
The Senator cites increased use of independent examination rooms and supervisors and calls for analysis of stress-related cases alongside examination reform.
Five of those teenagers had independent supervisors and rooms and in three of these cases it was for stress. I checked the figures with the Department of Education and Science and there has been a 20% increase in independent rooms and supervisors in the past two years. That is a huge increase. The Minister needs to do an analysis on that to determine for what those rooms are being used. If it is for stress related illness, we have to consider the timing and the pressure of this examination and the question of leaving certificate examination reform.