Debate contribution: Cross-border Education

Debate contribution by Mr Pat Sheehan on 2 March 2026.

MLA

Mr Pat Sheehan

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

2 March 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Cross-border Education

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5433380

Read the official Assembly record

Text

The motion is about opportunity. It is about ensuring that young people in the North are not constrained by administrative barriers or outdated systems when it comes to their future. We welcome the positive work that has taken place between universities and Departments across the island to facilitate closer equivalence between A levels and the Leaving Cert. That progress matters, because it recognises the reality that young people increasingly see this island as a good place to study, work and live. However, let us be clear: barriers to student mobility remain. Misaligned admission dates between UCAS and the CAO create unnecessary stress. Different timelines force students to make decisions in the dark, sometimes accepting or declining offers without having the full picture, and that is not good enough. A streamlined, joined-up process would expand opportunity. That brings me to an issue that was mentioned by a number of Members, namely the proposal by the Education Minister to scrap AS levels. At a time when we should be making progression to university clearer and more accessible, the Minister is pursuing a harmful reform agenda that risks doing the opposite. Almost two thirds of respondents to his departmental consultation expressed disagreement with his plans. There is no public appetite for scrapping AS levels. Parents, teachers and students understand the value of that qualification. It provides breadth in Year 13, contributes to the overall A-level outcome and gives universities a meaningful indication of performance when considering applicants. There is a clear all-island dimension. Universities in the South recognise AS levels within the CAO framework. In many cases, an AS subject can be counted as an additional qualification for points purposes. That means that students here currently have the opportunity to present a broader academic profile when applying to institutions across the island. If AS levels are removed, students in the North will have fewer subjects to present through the CAO system. At a time when we are arguing for better alignment and increased mobility, that proposal risks weakening the competitiveness of our students for courses in Dublin, Cork, Galway and elsewhere in the South, which runs directly counter to the spirit of the motion. Scrapping AS levels would narrow subject choice earlier and increase pressure in a single set of high-stakes exams.

It would also create uncertainty for those seeking to study elsewhere on the island. How can we speak about improving mobility and smoothing pathways to university while dismantling a qualification that currently strengthens those pathways? Rather than press ahead with the reform, the Minister should listen. He should focus on what students and families need. That means protecting qualifications that work, promoting the full range of university options across Ireland and ensuring that students are properly supported to navigate the UCAS and CAO routes. Our young people deserve first-class opportunities to study and build their future on this island. Breaking down barriers to mobility is part of that; creating new ones is not. I urge Members to support the motion.

499 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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