Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

As to the Deputy’s first point, I refer to the former Minister, Ruairí Quinn, who introduced junior cycle reform in the face of challenges. That work was followed up on by another former Minister, Jan O’Sullivan.

Very soon after that, in 2016, leaving certificate reform started. This is not accelerated. It takes time and will be done on a phased basis.

On the supports, in the past six months alone, €20 million in additional funding has been provided specifically for science subjects, including agricultural science where we have increased that funding, and there will be more. I can commit to the Deputy that there will be more funding for our science labs to make sure they are up to scratch and that they have the supports and the resources they need. More training than ever for the leaving certificate is being provided. Papers are being provided earlier. There are more papers than there normally would be. Everything we can do is happening and if we need more training, I am saying now and have said it to the associations that we will provide that.

As to guidance, the point I was making is that in our current exams, a student can simply remember an essay and replicate it. That is not going to change. It is about understanding how we utilise the benefits of AI and teaching children how to use it. When they go in to the workforce, nobody will be telling them they cannot use it.

In summary, there are the measures to date, papers have been presented for AI, more work is being done and there is the AI advisory council. We need to keep working with teachers throughout all of this to make sure everybody benefits from what will be part of our daily lives.

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