asked the Minister for Education the reason she has reversed the Fianna Fáil policy, as stated in the 1987 Fianna Fáil Election Manifesto, to set up the Curriculum Board on a statutory basis.
Written Answers. - National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
165.
Since the establishment of the National Council for Curriculum and assessment in autumn 1987 it has performed its duties to an exceptionally high standard. It has been able to fulfil its central role of advising the Minister on all matters relating to the school curriculum by not being encoumbered with the responsibility for organising certificate examinations.
The Deputy will be aware that this matter was discussed at some length in Dáil Éireann in November 1987. As I explained at the time and also as replied to a previous question from the Deputy on 1 December 1988 I decided that the interim Curriculum and Examinations Board should be reconstituted as the NCCA mainly because I did not see how the main function of the council would be enhanced in any way by making it a statutory body.