One student due to sit the Leaving Certificate this year says any postponement of the exams would be demoralising.

It is reported the State exams may not be held until late summer or even the autumn, due to ongoing coronavirus restrictions.

Students have already been told they will automatically be awarded full marks in their oral exams, which have been cancelled.

The deadline for submission of project work and coursework in a number of subjects has also been pushed out to May 15th.

Conor Smith is a Leaving Cert student from Co Cavan.

He says he is continuing on with his work for the most part.

He told Pat Kenny: "I'm very lucky, I have a lovely uninterrupted space to study in, I'm blessed with a decent WiFi connection.

"I don't have as many barriers as some of the students around the country may face."

"My teachers were very good, they had the majority of courses finished - but I know for other schools across the country that might not necessarily be the case."

"I am blessed that teachers are sending resources and notes on to me digitally that I can take a look at and work away on my own.

"But it's certainly very different to the traditional classroom experience - and having to start from scratch on topics that you don't really know.

"It is difficult - sure if we could do that ourselves, would we bother going to school at all?"

On him automatically passing his oral exams, he said: "For definitely Irish I was struggling... so it came as a relief to me as for some students across the country.

"But for other subjects like French where I was very prepared going into the exam confident, it kind if was a kick in the teeth."

"If you put everyone on a level pegging - one of the things that has emerged from this is the prospect of college points.

"If the standard is the same across the board and people have been given a leg-up, whereby it's harder to distinguish those top-tier students."

He said any postponement of the State exams would not be good for morale.

"If they postpone the Leaving Cert I can see that only being further demoralising to students."

Asked if he would have confidence in a predicted grades system, he said: "I would be for predicted grades, being probably the most feasible solution right now to prevent against the health risk.

"But I think that, with the best will in the world, there could be an opportunity for bias to creep in with teachers.

"It certainly could appear, not intentionally, but when you're on a very personal level with students - you know that Suzy's looking for a place for her course, and you want to try as much and accommodate them - which is why exam papers are corrected with just exam numbers so you don't know who they are.

"So there's an objectivity there that maintains fairness, but with predicted grades you could see bias popping in".