Ms Andrea Feeney:

We would not necessarily expect to see a positive correlation due to the nature of the scheme. The accommodations provided in the scheme are designed to compensate for the students' disabilities and not to advantage them. We would not expect to see a positive correlation between the number of students being accommodated in the scheme and the results. The standard of the examinations should be maintained year on year as a core element of validity and reliability in the examinations. From this perspective we would not necessarily expect to see a positive correlation.

What is positive is the correlation between the number of students being accommodated in the scheme of reasonable accommodations and the Department's policy on students with special educational needs, particularly those in mainstream education. The numbers compare favourably with the numbers in schools with special educational needs. Not only this, our scheme compares very favourably internationally in terms of the proportion of students being provided with reasonable accommodations in the scheme. I hope that answers the Cathaoirleach's question on this particular aspect.