Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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I have a general point to make. Professor Hegarty referred to the reform of the junior certificate. From my memory, that was not an easy process to go through at the time, although it was not suggested that people go into the workforce with only a junior certificate. The timing and way in which that programme was reformed meant it was a difficult process. That experience probably put the political system off reforming the leaving certificate.

That said, I appeal to the people involved in this process to ask themselves what the point of this is. If we were to put the student at the heart of this process, we would construct an entirely different system, but we always seem to have every other agency or interest group pulling and dragging at the system. If middle Ireland likes something because it has been through it and it has been successful for it, then middle Ireland will want to defend it. However, we are not here for middle Ireland; we are here for every young person in the system.

I do not think any young person going through it, regardless of their background, feels that it reflects them. Even if they have a successful process through it, most young people are still terrified by it. Why we have scared young people in our second level schools is something we should all reflect on. I thank the witnesses for their contributions.