Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the proposals she has for reform of the leaving certificate timetable in order to ease pressure on students who have had to take a number of particularly demanding papers in the first few days of the exam; if the proposed changes have been agreed with the schools and the teacher unions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21605/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am acutely aware of the need to address the demands placed on students in the Leaving Certificate written examinations each June. I have indicated that I favour a change to the current position with a view to reducing some of the existing pressures on students. I see scope for adjusting the subject spread over the initial days of the Leaving Certificate examination in order to provide for some reduction in the writing load for students in the early period of the June exams. I have also indicated that I see scope for students to sit their first paper in Leaving Certificate English on a Saturday in May. This would enable them to approach the initial days of the examination with another element of a major subject completed.

I have asked the State Examinations Commission to engage with the partners in education on the matter and this process is ongoing.