Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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495. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the issue of assessment in the junior certificate examinations. [38088/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The issue of assessment in junior certificate examinations has been recently reviewed, as a result of which the Framework for Junior Cycle was launched in October 2012.

Extensive quality assurance measures are being built into the new Junior Cycle. These include subject specifications with clear learning outcomes; a comprehensive professional development programme for teachers along with principals and deputy principals in educational assessment, including professional development of processes of moderation; the introduction (in the coming years) of standarised tests for all schools and their 2nd year students in English reading, Mathematics and scientific literacy and in addition in Irish reading for Irish-medium schools; and the NCCA is developing a comprehensive assessment and moderation toolkit.

However, I am aware that teacher unions have concerns. At my invitation, the teacher unions have outlined to me their concerns in relation to aspects of the proposed reforms. In doing so, the unions underlined teacher support for the reforms that will lead to better quality teaching and learning experiences and thence outcomes for students. I am currently considering the concerns which were raised by teacher representatives, and what different forms of engagement might be considered to facilitate an overall agreement.