Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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256. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update regarding plans to abolish the junior certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39061/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As the deputy will be aware, the reformed Junior Cycle is being introduced on a phased basis beginning with English this year. Just under 90% of English teachers have attended the first day of CPD. A further 172 English teachers have attended elective workshops in their own time. By any standards this is a very high level of take-up and is amongst the highest rate of attendance at Departmental provided CPD.

Since I have come into office I have met with parent, teacher and school management representatives and discussed Junior Cycle reform with all these groups. 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.

I look forward to meeting with the teaching unions again later this month, to further progress these discussions.