What the Minister's discussion document says

The Junior Cert is failing in its aim to meet the needs of a wide range of student aptitudes and abilities.

The domination of terminal exams undermines the aims and principles of the Junior Cert and limits the teaching methodologies used.

Key skills, including oral skills in languages and experimental skills in science, are not assessed.

The Junior Cert exam discriminates against students with limited verbal and written skills.

Key skills may receive less classroom emphasis, making subjects less interesting and deterring students from taking certain subjects at Leaving Cert.

The exam system "is creaking under impossible expectations". The Junior Cert and Leaving Cert are entirely different exams yet they are expected to be the same.

The Leaving Cert is the gateway to training education and work. The Junior Cert no longer marks the end of formal education for many students, yet "the exam continues with all its high stakes ritual and formality".

It is impossible to expand the Leaving Cert modes of assessment "while the system struggles to support two exams of similar style and format".