The 305 students who sat yesterday's papers should have been pleased they were such-straight-forward papers. ASTI subject representative Mr Larry Flanagan said the short-answer section of the higher-level paper was "testing but fair". The format for the long-answer section was slightly different to previous years in the balance of questions with three micro-economics, two macro-economics and two statistics questions. Students at his school, Moate Community School, Co Westmeath, were very positive, he said.

The ordinary-level paper was very suitable for these students. It was well set out and in keeping with their ability, he added. "Good workers who had covered the course should have no difficulty with the paper."