Ms Moira Leydon:

Two statements have struck me. My colleague, Ms Maguire, referred to a work in progress. Piloting is a work in progress and that is very important but part of the problem is that education is such a culture-bound activity. People cling to the familiar, to what they know. From the outside perspective that might seem strange. Why are second level teachers so hung up on the harp and the State certificate? We have made the point that since the foundation of the State, the State certificate exam has been a structuring pillar of our education system. There are flaws in it, as there are in every educational system but we are making the point that on balance, given the new dispensation with the framework, a national State certificate does play a levelling role across our education system. There are invidious debates about feeder schools and high performing schools, league tables, etc. That is the reality within which Irish second level education operates.