Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I would like to put a question to the chief inspector on his report and the day we had the discussion on it. He made the point that day that assessment was not one of the strongest points in regard to the set of skills teachers currently have. That was something he particularly referred to in his report. Will he elaborate on that? Does he have any thoughts in regard to where that leaves us with the current proposals for the new junior certificate?

I mention the €4.5 million the Minister has set aside for next year. Will he give us a breakdown as to where that €4.5 million will go? The Minister mentioned that he is willing to talk to and work with others as long as it does not affect the momentum and that he can retain momentum. The problem is that there has not been momentum because it has not been moving smoothly. The Minister has been moving on but he has not been taking people with him.

Is the Minister committed to discussing with teachers compromising on the issue of the independent assessment? The concerns are very much about the maintenance of quality and standards in regard to the correction of the 60% element of the examination part of the new junior certificate. Is the Minster sending that message to teachers that he is willing to compromise and talk about that? That has not been forthcoming from the Minister. He said he has said that to teachers but neither I, nor I think teachers, have heard that before.

Like Senator Moran, I think a number of teachers at the ASTI conference let their colleagues down. I do not think it was really education politics but wider politics outside the issues which were being discussed. Unfortunately, they did a great disservice to other teachers at that conference by taking the focus off the important issues.

At the previous year's ASTI conference, the Minister described junior certificate reform as a personal political project.

I remember the Minister saying at that conference that the destination was not up for discussion but that he would discuss what was happening along the way. Unfortunately teachers believe that the Minister has been too authoritarian and dictatorial in his handling of this and that he has not been listening. It is important that such listening now happens so that everybody can get back on board.

I ask the Minister to clarify whether he is now willing to compromise on that point so that we can put a system in place which ensures consistent standards in terms of the marking of the new junior certificate student award.