Mr. Dalton Tattan:

On the issue of the HPAT, as raised by Deputy Ó Laoghaire, we can discuss that with our sister Department. I will take that issue away with me.

On the November exams and oral exams, we also have to ensure equity as far as possible with those who have just gone through the calculated grades process. It also simply was not possible for us to run oral examinations. We could not give the 100% because that would create an inequity with the group who have just gone through the calculated grades process where the 100% did not apply. Neither could we run the oral examinations because the schools are up and running and teachers are fully occupied. We have had to enable schools to engage more teachers because of the Covid restrictions.

Deputy Conway-Walsh asked about contact with the ISSU. The ISSU has been central throughout the process. It sat on the advisory group. We had several bilateral meetings with it and continue to engage with it. It was it through its surveys that argued for calculated grades and that was a big influencing factor in the decisions that we made.