Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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131. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the implementation of junior cycle reforms. [33940/15]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I am happy to wait for the Minister's response.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Since coming into office, I have engaged extensively with all education stakeholders on junior cycle reform, including negotiating directly with the leadership of the two teacher trade unions. In August, my Department published Framework for Junior Cycle 2015, which sets out the wide-ranging and necessary reforms to the junior cycle. Our purpose is to deliver a modernised curriculum across all subjects and to improve the learner experience significantly through high-quality classroom-based assessment and improved examinations.

I am determined to press ahead to ensure our schools properly meet the learning needs of students. I welcome the very clear endorsement of TUI members and I hope the ASTI will advance its process of clarification without delay in order that a resolution on its side can be achieved. In the meantime, we will proceed with implementation of an extensive programme of high-quality continuing professional development to upskill teachers in the new curriculum and assessment arrangements.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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We are going back over a previous question by Deputy McConalogue. The issue, as Deputy McConalogue outlined, was that we got off to a bad start. The way the previous Minister went about trying to railroad junior cycle reform was counter-productive. It got people's backs up and there was a loss of trust with the Department. That was unfortunate because nearly all political parties in this Chamber support the concept of junior cycle reform. When the Minister came to office, she tried to rectify some of that and she has done that to a certain degree.

The fact that the TUI is now supportive of it is a recognition of the steps that have been taken by the Department but we still have a situation where one of the main stakeholders is opposed to what is being implemented by the Department. The Minister says she is determined to carry on with the implementation, but how realistic is it to carry on with that if she does not have the co-operation of one of the main stakeholders?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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First, the response of the ASTI, despite the fact that there was a rejection by the majority of its members who voted, has been measured in so far as it has indicated that it may be clarification that is required. There may be issues on which its members need more information and I would prefer to give it the space to give them that clarification.

Having said that, it would be unfair on everybody else who is supportive of moving forward if we were to stall the process, and we have already commenced the process for students of English. My response is the correct one in the circumstances, that we will move forward. We will provide the continuing professional development, CPD, for those who are willing to come and have it, and it will be by way of whole school, subject specific seminars, seminars for school leaders, teacher-led CPD, school visits and online resources. There is a variety of ways in which teachers can access that CPD. I hope the ASTI will find that the clarification we are able to give will assist it in terms of dealing with the issue.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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I hope the Minister is correct in her assessment that the clarification will be enough to secure the support of the ASTI.

There is a time issue here because we are coming to the end of this Government's term. Whether it is next month or in April, we have a finite amount of time to resolve this. We need to resolve it before we head into a general election because so much work has been put into it that we need to try and address it. We are already rolling out the English syllabus - my daughter is one of those students in first year who will be the first cohort of students to undertake the new junior cycle reform.

I would be cautious in saying that we can go ahead with the CPD for those who were in favour of it and that will buy us time, but it will only buy us a certain amount of time. Eventually, we will have to come to a position where either everyone will be on board or I do not know how feasible it will be for us to carry on with the implementation of it.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Certainly there is a time constraint, and it is not only the general election. Obviously, there are the assessments that must take place in 2016 as well and I am conscious of that aspect. I hope that we will be able to clarify the issues within the timeframe to ensure that there is no concern, in particular, on behalf of the students and their parents.