Taoiseach signals for Leaving Cert reform and warns of price hikes

Kenneth Fox

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Leaving Cert has to be reformed and has warned some price rises in recent months will be permanent during his speech to the Fianna Fáil Ard Fheis.

As the Irish Examiner reports, in his closing address, he addressed Covid-19, health, housing, education, the cost-of-living, the climate and culture and identity.

He said the Leaving Cert in its current form has to be reformed and make sure that courses help students “to prepare for the world of today and tomorrow.”

He said: “The Leaving Certificate in its current form was designed following Fianna Fáil’s introduction of free secondary education.

“But that was before most of the modern economy existed and before many of the pressures experienced by young people today had even been imagined.

“The Leaving Certificate examination has to be reformed. It has to provide more options for assessment and to measure a more complete range of skills.”

On the cost-of-living, he said rising costs are caused mainly by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

He said the Government is determined to do everything it can to help families, businesses and to protect jobs.

The Taoiseach said some factors pushing up prices, and especially energy prices, will hopefully be short-term in their impact and prices will follow the historical trend and reverse.

But he warned others will likely be more permanent.

He said the sheer scale of rising prices led to the Government’s response to help people through the budget.

“Every single household and business will benefit – with the biggest benefits going to those who are most in need,” he added.