In the light of the fact that the talks aimed at resolving the dispute over the planned new junior cycle collapsed after the Teachers Union of Ireland rejected a compromise offer from the Minister for Education and Skills, it is appropriate to reconsider the issue of junior certificate reform. We have already seen a major change in policy on the part of the Minister. Her predecessor wanted to abolish the junior certificate programme in its entirety, but she suggested the State examination at the end of the third year contribute 60% of the junior cycle marks, with the remaining 40% being awarded for project or portfolio work during second and third years. The 40% element of the course is based on a form of continuous assessment. Most teachers remain opposed to evaluating continuous assessment of project work done by their own students, as envisaged by the Minister. We should bear in mind that teachers already assess their students all the time in preparation for the more objective State examinations. However, teachers with whom I have spoke expressed concern that the plans to have them correct project work were based on cost cutting considerations. I share these concerns and think we cannot risk the integrity of the State examination system out of considerations of cost. The reasonable middle ground which ought to be considered is that project or portfolio work comprising 40% of the junior certificate marks be graded by external examiners rather than classroom teachers in the interests of anonymity and fairness. As far as possible, this should involve an element of oral examination. Although the State examination system has many flaws, its outstanding advantage is the absolute anonymity afforded to students who can rest assured their work will be graded on its merit alone. I agree with Senator Gerard P. Craughwell on the importance of vocational education. That is not in dispute in anything I am proposing. The simple fact is that continuous assessment and anonymity are not mutually exclusive. We can recognise the value of limited continuous assessment in the junior cycle while retaining the anonymity that benefits students. We owe this to teaches because otherwise they will be put under enormous pressure by parents and students. We owe it to students that they can be confident that their work will be marked objectively and on its merits.

I ask the Deputy Leader to arrange for the Minister for Finance to attend the House at an early opportunity for a debate on NAMA. This matter has been raised on a number of occasions, but recent reports give rise to a great deal of concern. The Minister has been anxious to put pressure on NAMA to complete the sale of its loan book by the end of 2017 or early 2018.

There is a view that this pressure is politically motivated rather than motivated by the best interests of taxpayers, who have invested so much in the recovery plan through NAMA. The question must arise as to how wise a policy it is.

In support of my argument for an urgent debate on this matter, I refer to recent reports regarding a property on Sir John Rogerson's Quay that was acquired by an Australian company for €7.5 million and sold on within months for €17.75 million. That represents a loss not only to the taxpayer but also for the country's GDP in that the revenues arising from the increases in property values are being expatriated to outside investors. These include private equity funds and so on, including those based in the United States, Australia and Europe. We must be far more sensible in managing these issues by seeking to exercise some type of prudential control over the process. NAMA has indicated that it expects to make some €500 million or so on the €31 billion or €32 billion that was paid for these assets. That is a paltry return. Given the rise in property prices, we should be doing all we can to secure the best possible returns are extracted for taxpayers, but that does not seem to be happening. A debate on this issue is timely and essential.

Senator Paschal Mooney referred to the talks on junior cycle reform between the teacher unions and the Minister for Education and Skills. It is a matter of regret to us all that the talks have not led to a resolution of the differences of opinion on this issue. I agree with Senator Gerard P. Craughwell that this is not the end of the matter, as there is an ongoing process of engagement. To be fair to the Minister, she has made significant moves to accommodate the unions' concerns. Senator Rónán Mullen fairly described what she had proposed as a "compromise offer". I do not agree with Senator Paschal Mooney that there has been posturing by the Minister or the unions on the issue. On the contrary, both sides are seeking to move towards a resolution. I hope we will see this happen.

As a parent and an educator, I believe passionately in the need for junior cycle reform. As such, I take issue very strongly with Senator Rónán Mullen's suggestion that this is all about cost. Anybody who knows anything about the proposed reforms - Senator Gerard P. Craughwell will know all about them - is aware that they are a long time in the making. In fact, the issue of junior cycle reform has been discussed for almost 30 years and reforms of the type now being implemented were first proposed in 1999 by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. There is a very obvious rationale for what is being contemplated. First, times have moved on and, fortunately, the majority of pupils no longer leave school after the junior certificate examinations. As a result, it is no longer the document people require to find employment. Instead, it simply marks a passage through the secondary school cycle on the way to the leaving certificate which is now, rightly, the much more significant and important document. Second, pedagogical methods have moved on and we now know that examination-based assessment is not the best way of measuring students' learning and knowledge. It is not the best method of ensuring we have a quality education system in place.

We do not know that.

In countries such as Scotland, Finland, Australia and New Zealand where we see high-performing school systems state examinations at the end of junior cycle have either been abolished or replaced with the type of sensible combination of examinations and course work the Minister is proposing. What is envisaged is different from what was originally proposed. Introduction of the previous framework would have seen the removal of State certification from the junior cycle and 100% of the marks assessed by the class teacher. The Minister has moved significantly on that point-----

The Deputy Leader is missing the point.

Members should allow the Deputy Leader to respond without interruption.

I am setting out the actual nature of the reforms being proposed. Under the system proposed by the Minister, 60% of the marks in the junior cycle will be allocated on the basis of an examination at the end of third year. In other words, the majority of the marks will still be given on the basis of an examination that will continue to be set and marked by the State Examinations Commission. That is a very significant change from the original proposal. The remaining 40% of the marks will be awarded for school-based work. This amounts to a very small change in practice, given that more than 50% of secondary schools already avail of the existing flexibility arrangement whereby 40% of the marks may be allocated on the basis of an oral assessment in the case of Irish and modern languages or for school-based work such as portfolios and projects in the case of a range of other subjects. In short, teachers in many schools are already engaging in this type of assessment and the Minister is simply proposing that it form part of a more formal, structured model. She has also confirmed that the State certificate will continue to issue to every student on completion of the junior cycle, with the State Examinations Commission being responsible for monitoring and spot-checking the assessment of class-based work.

The majority of parents and teachers favour these sensible reforms. There are differences of view, of course, and we all hope they will be resolved in the interests of pupils. Children born in 1999, when the reforms to which I referred were first proposed, sat their junior certificate examinations this year. We cannot afford to wait any longer. I want to see my children educated within a more modern and fairer system.

Is this a debate on education?

The Deputy Leader to continue, without interruption.

Senators raised a number of straightforward points, but the Deputy Leader has gone into excruciating detail in her reply.

To be fair, the issue was raised by several colleagues and is a source of genuine concern.

I am not suggesting it is not, but the Deputy Leader is taking a platform to speak about developments in education in the past 20 years.

This House has a strong record on education issues, with six Senators representing university constituencies.

When the Deputy Leader uses Scotland as an example, she should be aware that schools there pulled out of the system.

We are not opening a debate on the issue. Members will have other opportunities to discuss the changes proposed in the junior cycle.

The Deputy Leader has invited debate on the issue.

We have had a debate in the House on junior cycle reforms and it would be useful to have another in view of the level of interest expressed in the issue.

I only asked the Deputy Leader to urge the Minister to work with the teacher unions to resolve the issue.

The Senator should allow the Deputy Leader to continue.

I was seeking to respond to all of the points raised by colleagues, not all of which corresponded with what Senator Paschal Mooney had said.

All of the questions asked were specifically about assessment.

To respond specifically to the Senator's question, of course, I will appeal to the unions and the Minister to work together. My intention in responding was to avoid repeating myself and ensure I covered all of the points raised by Members.

Senator Paschal Mooney also referred to the recent judgment of the European Court of Justice in favour of the German Government. It does seem to be a decision that will have significant implications and I agree with the Senator that the Minister for Social Protection will need to review it. I am sure officials in her Department are doing exactly that. I am confident that it will have positive implications in the context of the sensationalist debate on welfare tourism taking place in Britain where a great deal of concern has been whipped up by a number of media outlets. Like the Senator, I am not sure how large a problem it actually is. Having said that, the decision made seems sensible and may help to calm fears, particularly in Britain.

The Senator also welcomed the appointment of Ms Emma Madigan as the new Irish ambassador to the Vatican. We all wish her well in her new post. There have been huge changes since we last had an ambassador resident in the Vatican, not least the election of a new Pope.

The Senator concluded his contribution by wishing the national football team well in the game against Scotland tomorrow night. He offered similar good wishes to the rugby team in advance of the match on Sunday. We all join him in congratulating Stephanie Roche of the national women's football team who has had one of her goals nominated as goal of the year by FIFA.

Senator Paul Coghlan joined Senator Paschal Mooney in welcoming the appointment of Ms Emma Madigan as Irish ambassador to the Vatican. He went on to raise what was the second main theme of the Order of Business today, namely, the Central Bank's proposals on regulations for mortgage lending. Huge concern has been expressed in the House in recent weeks about the proposal that mortgage applicants should require a 20% deposit. Last week we heard suggestions at a banking conference that there might be some movement on that issue. For now, they are just proposals. I will certainly ask the Leader to organise a debate on the issue in the light of Members' concerns that the rules would be too rigid. At the same time, several colleagues noted the need to avoid another housing bubble. There must be a balance between excessive rigidity and an absence of any regulation of the level of deposit required to secure a mortgage.

Senator Paul Coghlan also referred to the study that was widely reported on today which showed that the proximity of a school could lead to house price rises. This is not news to parents seeking to purchase a home, but it is useful to have the anecdotal evidence confirmed in the daft.ie report.

Senator Sean D. Barrett supported Senator Paul Coghlan's call for a debate on the Central Bank's proposed rules for mortgage lending. As I said, I will ask the Leader to facilitate such a debate. To reiterate, a final decision has not yet made by the Central Bank. I understand this will happen in the new year. As such, it would make sense to seek a debate before Christmas while the matter was still under discussion.

Senator Sean D. Barrett also raised an issue of which I was not aware, namely, that Kerry County Council was seeking to declare itself an island. We may hear from our colleagues from County Kerry on the issue.

We have different views.

Senator Michael Comiskey welcomed the launch of the 2016 commemoration programme at the GPO last night. By all accounts, it was an historic event. Other speakers referred to the speech of the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, while the Minister of State, Deputy Aodhán Ó Riordáin, also spoke about the nature of the commemorations. He stated they must be inclusive and recognise the need for the reconciliation of the different traditions on the island. In particular, he spoke about the centrality of culture and the need to ensure we had a good many cultural commemoration events.

Senator Michael Comiskey also welcomed the resolution at the beef talks last night. All colleagues will welcome the breakthrough. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, secured the agreement of all stakeholders to a comprehensive list of key actions to address the concerns expressed by beef farmers in recent months. He said he was satisfied that it represented the best possible outcome. Like many colleagues, I have met Mr. Eddie Downey of the IFA and I am well aware of the concerns of beef farmers and the serious differential in prices between Britain and Ireland. The resolution is welcome. We all hope the beef forum will provide a useful method for reconciling future issues that arise.

Senator Terry Leyden referred to the historic landing of a space mission on a comet for the first time. Some reports this morning suggested there might have been difficulties in the bedding down of the craft and we all hope these will be resolved. The Senator congratulated Laurence O'Rourke from County Westmeath, the Irish scientist involved in this great achievement. We join the Senator in commending his involvement.

Senator Martin Conway welcomed the launch of the commemoration programme and referred to the teaching of history at leaving certificate and secondary cycle level. I will certainly check it out. While I know that it has been raised in the House previously, I do not think the change is as significant as has been suggested.

Senator Marc MacSharry referred to the treatment of patients with diabetes in Sligo and lack of access, which may well be an issue that could be raised as a matter on the Adjournment, if he has not already done so.

The Senator also proposed an amendment to the Order of Business that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, come to the House to speak about local authorities. I can ask for a debate on the issue with the Minister as a number of other colleagues have raised the issue of local authority funding as a concern. I have made an inquiry and I am told that the Minister is in Northern Ireland today and cannot attend the Seanad.

Senator Lorraine Higgins referred to the practice of Lone Star and the concerns of a constituent. The Senator has already taken up the matter with the CEO of the Bank of Scotland and the joint committee dealing with finance issues, which is an appropriate place in which to raise the matter. The CEOs of Ulster Bank and AIB are before the joint committee today and I can also seek a debate on financial regulation. As we are already asking the Minister for Finance to attend to discuss more general matters, we might include the issue raised by the Senator.

Senator Gerard P. Craughwell referred to junior cycle reforms and Central Bank regulations. I have responded on these matters.

Senator Colm Burke spoke about local authority funding. As I said, I will seek a debate with the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, on the issue.

The Senator also referred to the Central Bank rules on mortgages. He raised the issue of house purchases from local authorities, which is a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, and could be included in a debate with him.

Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh welcomed the report of the Oireachtas committee on voting rights for the diaspora, as do I. It comes on foot of the recommendation by a significant majority of the Constitutional Convention to extend voting rights in presidential elections to Irish citizens resident outside the jurisdiction. I support that recommendation fully and was involved in the debate. I hope we will see it move along in the lifetime of the Government.

Senator Rónán Mullen raised the mortgage issue and called for a debate on the Central Bank's proposals. I support the idea of having a debate.

The Senator sent good wishes to the new Irish ambassador to the Vatican and commended the Office of Emergency Planning for the new document entitled, Winter Ready. Given the weather we are having today, the document is particularly pertinent. I agree with the Senator that it is an excellent document and very timely.

I am glad to hear that Senator Mary White is reinvigorated and that she was involved in the commemorations committee. I note her reference to the official launch of the programme at the GPO last night. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, will attend the House within the hour for a full debate on commemoration planning which I am very glad we are having this week. It is not only the week in which the programme has been launched but also the week of Remembrance Day. I hope we will have a productive debate.

Senator Feargal Quinn raised the issue of threats to post offices. We had a debate at the joint committee on the future of the post office network and in the House and it is a source of concern for many colleagues. We can ask for a further debate on it. As the Senator says, the real threat is presented by people simply not sending as many letters or using the postal service as much as they did because of electronic mail. Christmas and the sending of Christmas cards offers a boost to post offices, but there is no doubt that there is an ongoing threat. I am happy to seek to have the matter debated again. The Senator is right to say other work must be sought and the diversification of functions pursued. I understand this is ongoing in the post office network.

The Senator also referred to the debate last night on Seanad reform. I could not be here as I was representing the justice committee at a conference on the abolition of prostitution and changes to prostitution law. The Senator has given me the opportunity to note that conference. While I am sorry I missed the debate, I was doing important work elsewhere. I was seeking to further the justice committee's recommendation of a change in the law to criminalise the purchase of sex in line with the position in Sweden, Norway, Iceland and, I hope, Canada and France.

I am glad to hear a working group on Seanad reform has been established and note Senator John Crown's point that it should not include anyone who favoured abolition. Anyone involved in it will have to be constructive. That is the point. The task is to come up with effective and meaningful Seanad reforms, whatever the different personal positions are in the group. I have not seen the full list of members, but it is important that they be constructive and seek to engage with the others in the group.

Senator John Crown raised the very important issue of the need for the development of an adult cancer genetic service. He referred to the particular issues arising from genetic causes of cancer. The Houses have already engaged in public consultation on lifestyle factors in the incidence of cancer, which are well known. I take the Senator's point on the need to develop a better service in genetic testing for cancer. In Trinity College Dublin we have an excellent genetics department led by Professor David McConnell, of which colleagues will be well aware. Certainly, it is of real concern if waiting lists are particularly long for genetic testing in the hospital system. I will certainly raise the matter with the Leader and, perhaps, ask him to write to the Minister for Health about it. I know that the Senator will pursue the matter also.

Senator Rónán Mullen also referred to the junior cycle programme, an issue on which I have responded fully. I have huge respect for teachers and note that they can mark students objectively. We must be careful not to sound as if we do not think they can do this.

One cannot represent the leaving certificate oral examination as an internal exam. It is external and objective, which is what we need.

I am sure the debate will roll on. It is only a proposal.