Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)

I welcome the establishment of a joint committee on artificial intelligence and wish the chair, Deputy Malcolm Byrne, well in his role. I am happy to be appointed to the committee by Deputy McDonald.

I am also my party's education and youth spokesperson and attended the teachers' conferences held by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI, and the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, last week. I heard first-hand the deep concerns about the potential use of AI. The Taoiseach referenced the digital divide and teachers have concerns that the current approach of the Minister to senior cycle reform, which is rushed and accelerated, will build advantage on advantage and disadvantage on disadvantage. There is an opportunity for the use of AI in additional assessment components and continuous assessment. Those aspects will comprise a minimum of 40%. There is a sense from teachers and educators that it is a ridiculous position to have as standard. I call on the Taoiseach to listen to the concerns of teachers and educators, to pause the senior cycle reform and to engage with educators across the board.

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