Mr. John Curtis:

It is a very valid point, and it is an issue that has come up. It is something that we have to be very aware and conscious of. One of the assets of the current model is that it is deemed to be very fair. The leaving certificate is fair for everybody and when we bring in a second component such as coursework, we must be able to determine that the work is done in a proper fashion and supervised properly in the school. It is a valid point. While it may not necessarily stop us going down that path, we have to consider all the ramifications of coursework. All of us in the room are very happy with the State Examinations Commission, the way it handles the examinations process and the probity and essential fairness that is involved in the process. I used the word "balanced" before. In moving forward, we have to balance and keep the best of what we have. In the context of the new modes of assessment that we all hope will come in, we have to make sure that they are moderated in a fair way. The Deputy made a valid point and asked a good question.