Ms Andrea Feeney:

That is a real development. I made the point in my opening statement that we are using a huge amount of technology in the delivery of what we do, supporting assessment but not doing the assessment, which is the question the Senator was coming at. International research has shown that there are not a huge number of high stakes examination systems that make great use of online assessment. There are practical reasons for that and it is not just the availability of computers. It includes the availability of plug points in schools. There are practical reasons the seat time is needed. If we are arranging for 120,000 students to sit an English exam in June they all have to be able to sit that exam at that time, the devices need to be there and the electricity needs to be there. The expansion of ICT in examination and assessment has been included within the senior cycle reform announcement and we have announced, together with the NCCA, that we will research and explore that. There is a recognition that this needs to be tied into the digital strategy for schools.