Department of Education accused of wasting €432k on Leaving Cert case

The department attempted in vain to prevent two home-schooled students from receiving calculated grades for the exams

Norma Foley, the Minister for Education, has confirmed that the cost of covering the department’s legal fees and the fees of the students’ legal teams in all three court proceedings has amounted to €432,000. Picture: Rollingnews

The Department of Education has been accused of wasting €432,000 of public money in its failed attempt to prevent two home-schooled Leaving Cert students getting calculated grades.

It challenged the attempt of Elijah Burke, then aged 18, from Co Mayo, and Naomi Power, then aged 17, from Co Kilkenny, to receive calculated grades for Leaving Cert 2020.

Both students had been home-schooled by their mothers. The students were given the option of sitting the Leaving ...