Ms Andrea Feeney:

We are can respond to the question relating to the examination paper. The Deputy mentioned the choice. I will return to the decisions which were taken at the time when junior cycle reform came in. It included this triumvirate of the Department, the SEC and the NCCA making a decision relating to certain characteristics of the examinations, including that there would be no choice. That is something that is considered appropriate for students at that age because when they go into an exam, which is two hours long, the fact that there is no choice means that they are not making decisions but are just answering the questions which are in front of them. It is designed to be clearer for the student. I know that the Deputy mentioned that there was a lack of clarity but there were mark allocations on the examination papers. The other guide given to the students was the amount of writing space. Each examination paper is structured with question-answer and the guide the students are given is in respect of the amount of writing space. I may ask Ms Sheridan to comment but there are mark allocations on those papers.