Thousands of Dublin students face yet more uncertainty after major shocking cock-ups in the Leaving Cert estimated grades were revealed this afternoon.
The bombshell news will potentially affect over 6,000 students, up to 10% of the total 61,000, that went through the alternative Covid Leaving Cert this year.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin immediately moved to say that grades would be upgraded, but confusion reigns over what the fallout from this will be.
And Mr Martin has already called in the "consultants" with the announcement that an external review has been ordered.
But panic is rife around the country today as the knock-on effect for college places already offered - or missed - could be catastrophic for first year college kids and families.
Mr Martin sensationally told the Dáil that two “mistakes” have been uncovered in the calculated grades system
“The Department and Skills has found, to my understanding, two errors in the Leaving Certificate 2020 calculated grades.
“My understanding is that the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, will be making a comprehensive statement today in relation to this in terms of what has occurred, the measures taken to rectify that, the rechecking of that process and bringing in external, independent evaluation.”
Meanwhile, Leinster House is in a spin this afternoon as news of the potential scandal broke.
Labour leader, Alan Kelly, dropped the bombshell query in Leinster House just before one o’clock that kicked off the scandal.
And he was angry that the Government didn’t reveal it first, that it had to be forced out of him on the floor of the Dáil.
Mr Kelly said: “If I didn’t ask you about this, we wouldn’t be talking about this.
“You’re going to make sure that people who have been offered places are demoted.
“This is one of the worst days I’ve ever spent inside it here, its just appalling for the students.”
The Taoiseach in reply said that other political parties or their spokespersons hadn’t been told because the priority was to tell the students first.
The affected students are being contacted this afternoon and a special hotline is being opened this evening.
Minister for Education, Norma Foley, is to host a special press conference at 4pm this afternoon where she will be under serious pressure to come clean with all the details.
Sinn Féin spokesman, Donnachadh Ó Laoghaire, is one of the first opposition education spokesman to speak.
The facts are not all clear yet, so he said: “It is absolutely extraordinary that and my hearts goes out to all of the students who have endured so much over the course of the year, and now there is more trauma and stress for about 10%, up to 6,000 students..
“It’s been an appalling 12 months already to be honest.”
