Courts / Ireland / Report

Teen sues over refusal to give her assistance during Junior Cert exams

Summary

A teenager with dyspraxia, speech and language difficulties, and an auditory processing disorder has filed a High Court challenge after the State Examination Commission refused to provide her with an individual reader for her Junior Certificate exams. The teen applied under the Commission's Reasonable Accommodations at Certificate Examinations (RACE) Scheme, supported by medical reports, but the application was denied because her scores on certain tests were deemed too high to warrant assistance. The refusal was upheld on appeal, and the teen's lawyers argue the decision was flawed, unreasonably lacking in proportionality and failing to consider her auditory processing disorder. She claims the decision will seriously prejudice her, discriminates unfairly, and causes significant stress and anxiety. The judicial review was granted ex‑parte by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan, with the matter returnable next week as exams begin in early June.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Teen sues over refusal to give her assistance during Junior Cert exams. Procedural stage: hearing_or_decision

When:

• 2018-04-23 Publication

Why: The court was told that the teen is hard working, but requires the help of a special needs assistant in order to access the school curriculum on a daily basis. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Hearing Or Decision

Read the original CNI report