Mr. Neville Kenny:

The research looked in some detail at the experience in nine separate countries, including Scandinavian countries as Mr. Tattan has mentioned., but also in the UK and further afield in Canada and Australia. We are conscious of trying to take the best practices or opportunities for improvement in our own system from that international experience. There is also an international dimension to the reflection there has been in the past two years so we can truly understand the various opportunities that might be available to us. Equally, the relationship the Deputy mentioned between teachers and students was a feature of the contributions from teacher and school representatives at the meeting of the advisory group last week. It was felt that the students need to be at the centre of everything we are doing and that is something we are acutely aware of trying to achieve in bringing forward reforms to the leaving certificate. The international experience is certainly something we are reflecting on.