Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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208. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of meetings that he participated in with the Teachers' Union of Ireland and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland with regard to junior certificate reform between 3 November, 2011 and 4 October, 2012; the specific dates on which his meetings with these organisations took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6527/14]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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209. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of meetings that he participated in with the Teachers Union of Ireland and the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland with regard to junior certificate reform between 4 October, 2012 and 17 January, 2014; the specific dates on which his meetings with these organisations took place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6528/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together.

My Department established an Education Partners Consultation Group to provide all the education stakeholders with a formal medium for assisting in the planning of the phased implementation of the Junior Cycle. This group first met on Thursday, September 27, 2012. Subsequent meetings were held on the day of the Framework launch (October 4, 2012) on November 28, 2012, January 22, 2013, February 26, 2013, March 26, 2013, and June 26, 2013.

Bi-lateral meetings were held in the Autumn of 2013. The first meeting of the National Working Group on Junior Cycle Reform took place on Friday, January 17, 2014. Three sub-groups have been established to address CPD, Assessment and School Resources. There was a meeting of the sub-group on resources on January 24, 2014 and further meetings of the sub-groups on assessment and also CPD were held on January 30, 2014. Findings from the sub-groups were reported back to the National Working Group on February 7th and dates have been set for future meetings of the various groups. The National Working Group is due to report to me in May. During the entire period in question, there were also regular meetings of stakeholders through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment 's structures including the Junior Cycle Board and the Council.