asked the Minister for Education, in view of the widespread concern expressed by education interests on the issue of the 1988 Intermediate Certificate results, if she has any plans to expedite the process in 1989.
Written Answers. - Intermediate Certificate Results.
23.
As I said in reply to a previous question on this matter I share the concern that the results of the intermediate certificate examination should be available much earlier than they have been in recent years.
There is no simple solution, however. The Department's examinations have been increasing in size and complexity and the examinations branch, in common with the public service generally, is constrained in the staffing available to it.
In the longer term I am convinced that part of the solution, at least, lies in computerising the operations of the examinations branch. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that plans to proceed with computerisation are well advanced. While the implementation of a fully computerised system will, of course, extend over a number of years, I am hopeful that sufficient progress will have been made by next year to enable my Department to expedite the issue of the 1989 intermediate certificate results.