The Education Minister is defending his proposed overhaul of the Junior Certificate. Ruairí Quinn says the government is dealing with the concerns of teachers but that it cannot allow them to hold up the reforms.

The reforms are due to kick in from next year, when teachers will have a new English syllabus for exams in 2018.

But two teachers' unions are threatening industrial action over the changes.

It was announced back in January that the Junior Certificate was to be replaced by JCSA - Junior Cycle Student Award.

The reform is being phased in over several years from September.

Speaking at the time, Minister Quinn said "The new JCSA will put students, rather than exams, at the centre of the three year cycle. I am determined that the new JCSA will be introduced at a rate which will allow our schools, students and teachers the time to embed these changes".

The Minister said there is compelling evidence that the current system is failing some young people "as significant numbers of first years do not make progress in the key building blocks of learning: English and Maths".

On the issue of the reform, Minister Quinn says the government is supposed to make tough decisions and that is what he is doing.