Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 8: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the types of assistance available to students with disabilities in completing the leaving certificate examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27553/05]

Dan Neville (Limerick West, Fine Gael)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of students who requested the use of a computer in completing their leaving certificate examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27555/05]

Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 90: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of students who requested the use of a scribe in completing their leaving certificate examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27554/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 8, 20 and 90 together.

Since 8 April 2003 the State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The statistical issues raised by the Deputies have been forwarded to the commission for direct reply.

The commission operates a scheme of reasonable accommodations for candidates with special needs at the certificate examinations. The range of accommodations available to candidates includes the use of readers, scribes, tape-recorders, braille, computers-word processors, helpers and extra time, in addition to decisions at school level regarding rest periods, and use of low vision aids, special desks or chairs. It is also open to special needs students to apply to have a part of an examination waived and to be marked out of 100% on the balance.

Details of the scheme are outlined on the commission's website at www.examinations.ie. Application may be made through the school or VTOS centre or directly to the State Examinations Commission for external candidates.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her reply. Students who get assistance during their leaving certificate examinations have that noted on their certificates. This matter has been raised with me by several such students. The assistance provided is there merely to help the students complete the exams, but they feel that noting the assistance on the certificates seems to imply they have not done the same examination, or that their certificates may seem to be worth less than those held by students who did not need assistance.

I know this is a matter for the State Examinations Commission but I would like to hear the Minister's view to see if the practice could be stopped. It is the students who provide the information in examinations. The students involved get only technical assistance, not information. Does the Minister feel this practice of noting assistance on the certificates could be stopped?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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One of the key recommendations by the expert group on the certificate exams which reported in 1989 with regard to reasonable accommodations was that it should be noted on certificates or results if an element or elements of an examination have been omitted, or the method of examining has been altered in a substantial way. The idea was to strike a correct balance between ensuring that candidates with special needs were given every opportunity to demonstrate their levels of attainment and ensuring that no candidate was given an unfair advantage over other candidates in the same examination.

Nowhere on the results or the certificate does it say a result was arrived at as a result of a disability or of a particular disability. The idea was to ensure that any special arrangements would not put the integrity, status or reputation of the exam at risk. Provision is made for the students involved but it is ensured that the special arrangements allow the candidate to show his or her achievement and ability. They are not designed to compensate for any lack of achievement. The point is also to ensure that all candidates are treated equally when the certificates are issued.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I have no difficulty with the indication regarding special assistance being noted on the exam paper going to the examiner. That is fair enough. However, when the person seeks work and another work candidate has a leaving certificate that does not bear a similar indication of special assistance, it leaves it open to the employer to choose the person who did not get assistance though both certificates should be of equal value. Such an indication on a certificate negates that. This matter has been raised with me by a school principal who feels strongly about it. I accept that the report in 1998 addressed the matter but the issue merits further consideration. I ask the Minister to look at it again.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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This matter relates to ensuring the integrity of the exam and the exam results. I have yet to meet an employer who actually sought to see anyone's exam certificate. A student may have been unable to complete a full section of an exam. He or she for example might not have been able to do the aural or oral section. It would then be indicated on the certificate that such a student was marked out of 100% on the remaining exam sectors, because the student would not have completed all of the exam components completed by other students.

This is not designed to be insensitive to people. It would be insensitive to place a reference to disability on an exam certificate, but the note on the certificates involved simply explains the exam circumstances. The accommodations currently given are greatly varied in order to meet the needs of a wide variety of students.