Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the review being carried out by the State Examinations Commission into the reasonable accommodation for certificate examinations scheme is open to public consultation; when the review is due to conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17713/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that the State Examinations Commission (SEC) is currently undertaking an operational review of the Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations at the request of its Board.

This ongoing operational review is focussing in the first instance on;

- the nature and timing of decision making regarding applications for reasonable accommodations

- the provision of comprehensive information about access arrangements to applicants and their parents

- making better use of assistive technology to enable candidates to access the examinations while at the same time enhancing integrity and reducing the administrative and logistical demands on schools

I am further advised that the SEC has commenced a programme of consultation with stakeholders on this initial phase of the review, including those who represent students with special educational needs. The SEC envisages that this phase of the review will be completed by the end of the summer.