Minister McHugh confirms starting date for Leaving Cert

The Minister for Education, Joe McHugh, has confirmed that this year's Leaving Cert will begin on Wednesday, 29 July.

Speaking in the Dáil, Mr McHugh also revealed that details about the format and timetabling of the exams will be released in the first week of June.

And he urged any young people who are feeling lost, stressed or unsure, to "please reach out".

Speaking at the start of a debate on education, Mr McHugh said that "all of us" were struggling to adapt and adjust in times of great change.

He praised "phenomenal efforts" right across schools, further education centres and higher education institutions to ensure continuity of learning, to support students and seek to mitigate educational disadvantage.