Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in respect of changes to the 2008 leaving certificate examination, she is satisfied that scheduling English paper two and chemistry on the same day does not impose unnecessary extra pressure on students; if her attention has been drawn to plans by the State Examinations Commission to review this schedule; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33094/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The new Leaving Certificate examination schedule for 2008 has been agreed with a working group representing the Partners in Education, and is designed to reduce the demand on students especially during the first week of the examinations. It advances Chemistry, which is sat by some 7000 students, and Geography, sat by some 25,000 students, to Thursday and Friday respectively of the first week, which, along with Home Economics which is sat by some 12000 students, ensures that the majority of students get a break of at least one half day during this intensive phase.

The revised schedule for the first Thursday provides for an examination day spanning from 9.30 to 5.00pm, with 6 hours 20 minutes of examination time. I am confident that the benefits of a break during the first week will outweigh any disadvantage as a result of the length of the day.

There are no plans to change the timetable for 2008. However, each year, when drawing up the timetable for the following year, the State Examinations Commission invites the input of the Partners in Education so that their experience can inform the formulation of the next year's schedule.