Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)

The Government is drunk on the propaganda of big tech with regard to AI. It is so drunk that it is trying to force AI into the leaving certificate examination. From September, students will be allowed to use AI as an additional assessment component, which will be worth at least 40% of marks in many subjects. It is meant to be cited in the paper that AI was used but this will give a massive advantage to students from better-off backgrounds who will be able to pay for more advanced AI programmes to give them answers without them being detected and without them being cited.

Additional assessment in science subject will require access to labs. Fee-paying private schools might be able to manage that but DEIS schools that can barely keep the lights on will not. A biology teacher told the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI, conference that DEIS schools will be wiped out. Teachers are so worried about how unfair this is going to be that they are willing to go on strike over it. Will the Taoiseach intervene and at the very least impose a 12-month moratorium on this crazy plan so we can keep AI out of the leaving certificate examination?

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