Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of retired teachers involved in oral Irish examinations, oral French examinations, oral German examinations and oral Spanish examinations in this year's State examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18020/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination.

In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of retired teachers employed supervising this year's State examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18021/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination.

In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of recently qualified graduates who applied for employment with the State examinations; the number that were offered employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18023/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations including organising the holding of examinations, determining procedures in places where examinations are conducted including the supervision of examinations and making arrangements for the marking of work presented for examination.

In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the concerns regarding the leaving certificate 2011 honours maths paper 1; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18026/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The State Examinations Commission has operational responsibility for the certificate examinations. I have been advised that the State Examinations Commission (SEC) is satisfied that the questions asked on the Mathematics paper are within the parameters of the syllabus. In respect of specific queries which have been raised the SEC has confirmed that Question 7 (b) as presented is correct and that the material examined in Question 8 (c) is within the syllabus.

Comments and observations regarding test instruments are an intrinsic part of the feedback that SEC would expect to receive in any year. The well-tried methodology in place to deal with issues that arise in the course of the examination process is the development of the marking scheme by the Chief Examiner and his college of examiners in light of the circumstances of that year's examinations. All observations received in relation to a subject are reviewed by the Chief Examiner in the context of preparing the marking scheme for that subject.

I am satisfied that the SEC has well-established procedures in place to ensure that assessment procedures operate in accordance with the principles of fairness, equity and quality assurance.