Mr. Geoff Browne:

It might be very difficult for someone from Donegal to be very quick but I will do my best.

In an era of rote learning, we would like to see a continued exploration of the benefits of continuous assessment for the leaving certificate and that this would be kept on the agenda.

Often it is said to us that subject choices are made based on how one can maximise points. It would also be interesting to see if there is a correlation between that approach and the attrition rate after first year in third level universities and colleges.

It has also been mentioned to us on a number of occasions that rechecks of leaving certificate papers can often be as late as October or November, which is too late for students intending to go on to third level. It would be good to see if we could prioritise the checking of papers of those who were only a couple of points off getting their first or second preference in university. Rechecks are often carried out where people have got their first preference and those could be put further down the priority list.

Deputy Catherine Martin spoke about the day on which the leaving certificate results come out. I have also often thought that it glorifies those who have achieved high points but it ignores all the other areas of achievement where schools and their students have been successful. The points do not highlight or measure that a school may have worked miracles by giving a child the confidence he or she needed to go out in the world. The points system and progression to third level do not highlight these or, as has been touched on a number of times, the number of children doing the leaving certificate applied and those who go on to do apprenticeships and post-leaving certificate courses. These are equally valuable avenues in career development.

It was interesting that the area of broadband was raised, which does highlight the digital divide that occurs. It was mentioned here in the context of schools but it is equally a problem for families in their houses, especially in rural areas of Ireland. It is not just about the school having access to broadband. For example, I live in a rural area of County Donegal where I get a speed of 500 Kbps yet my elderly mother, who lives in Donegal town, gets 50 Mbps. There is a digital divide.