Leaving Certificate marks and grades have been artificially boosted for a number of years now, but everyone accepts that this must end at some stage, that marks must return to pre-Covid levels.
But how is that going to be achieved?
Minister for Education Norma Foley gave the class of 2024 the same commitment that she gave the Leaving Certificate class of 2023 - that artificially high results would be maintained for them so that they would not be at a disadvantage when competing with students from the calculated grades years, when it came to applying for college places.
Last April, the minister laid out a roadmap for the journey back. It begins next year, but it will be gradual.
Speaking today, Ms Foley reiterated her desire to avoid any so-called "cliff-edge".
Next year's results will be subjected to a post-marking hike too, but a smaller one.
This year's boost was on average 7.5%. Next year, around 5.5% will be added to students' marks. This will bring next year's grades back towards the level of those achieved by students in 2020.
Marks that year were 4.4% higher than normal.
As to how the fall will continue in subsequent years, the Department of Education said the level of future year adjustments to examinations and assessment after 2025 and the timeline for phasing out a post-marking adjustment "will be informed by the 2025 experience".
So we don't know how long it will take.
Across the water in the UK, A-level results have already returned to pre-Covid levels, but the Irish authorities are taking a gentler approach; no cliff-edge, instead, a managed glide.
What will the impact of this be for students competing for college places in future years?
We will have to wait and see, but the Department of Education does have a good record when it comes to listening to what Leaving Certificate students want.
What the students of these coming years want above all is a soft landing.
