Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

While I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important matter on the Adjournment, I am disappointed we cannot address it more substantively in the House before the summer recess.

The conduct of this year's leaving certificate and junior certificate examinations raises serious questions. There needs to be an investigation into the operation of the State Examinations Commission, SEC. Many have asked through various media if it is properly resourced and organised. The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills has a responsibility to fully address these questions in the House.

There were major errors in this year's examination papers including incorrect figures in the business studies junior certificate paper, causing confusion and distress to students, and missing pages in the leaving certificate accountancy paper, causing confusion and a 45-minute delay to the examination in some Dublin schools. How was this allowed to happen? We need the answers to these questions not just through an Adjournment debate, but through a full question-and-answer session with the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills.

As I stated earlier today on the Order of Business, the SEC and the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills also need to account for the fact they allowed the printing of this year's State examination papers to be awarded to two firms outside of this jurisdiction in the neighbouring island in Britain after they were put out to EU-wide tender under EU rules. Did this lead to the errors in the papers?

Irish printers say the tenders could have been broken up to ensure the business remained in Ireland. In this economic climate, the decision to put the tenders out to Britain has cost jobs. Last week, another Irish printer, Futureprint in Baldoyle, County Dublin, closed down with the loss of 112 jobs.

We need the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills to be accountable for these matters. We need assurances from her on the accuracy of the papers. A line must be drawn in the sand. The Minister must also give a response to the House on future printing contracts. These were avoidable mistakes which should not be allowed to repeat themselves in next year's examinations.

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