Leaving Certificate Maths: higher levelThe employers' group Ibec has backed the call for bonus CAO points for students taking maths and science.

Yesterday, the Royal Irish Academy - the group of renowned scholars - said this incentive was required to address the crisis in the subject.

The low number of students taking higher level maths and science is a major concern to some of Ireland's top employers,according to Kathryn Raleigh, director of the Ibec group dealing with hi-tech companies.

"Ireland needs its young people to have an excellent grasp of higher maths and science if we are to continue to attract high level jobs in the IT sector, as well as growing strong Irish-owned technology companies."

Ms Raleigh said: "Irish society is changing and our greatest assets are now our minds. Technology, science and maths will become ever more important in terms of our ability to compete for the top jobs of the future.

"A strong grounding in higher maths and science is therefore a student's passport to the future."

As maths and science are considered particularly tough, extra points should be awarded, she said, to encourage students to take the subjects at a higher level.

ICT Ireland is the representative lobby group for the hi-tech or knowledge sector within Ibec. The association represents over 300 companies.

Students who fail to secure an honour in maths but want to pursue an engineering degree- will get a second chance to take a maths exam.

NUI Maynooth, NUI Galway and Cork IT are providing maths exams in August. Students who score well in the exam, based on the Leaving Cert course, will be eligible for the degree courses, even if they failed to secure an honour in the original exam.