Professor John Doyle:

For members who might not be as familiar with the academic selection process in Northern Ireland, a Member of one of the Houses here described it as the leaving certificate for ten-year-olds. There is a formal academic examination at the age of ten. It is horrendous from a social point of view. It divides people at the age of 11 into schools where they are very likely to get A-levels and schools where statistically they have no chance of getting A-levels. It is an horrific division of kids at such a young age. On going into secondary school their chances of getting A-levels and going on to further education is so low.