AN EXAM supervisor has been fired after it emerged he broke regulations by using his mobile phone while overseeing a Leaving Cert English paper earlier this week.

The postgraduate student was found to have sent Twitter updates, or “tweets”, from his phone while supervising the exam, which took place at the Institute of Education on Leeson Street in Dublin.

The use of mobile phones is strictly prohibited during examinations.

The institute’s business development manager David Ball confirmed the supervisor had been suspended following the incident, but said the examination had not been compromised as a result of his actions.

A spokeswoman for the State Examinations Commission said it had no role in appointing the supervisor concerned.

According to the official guidelines, supervisors “are expected to give their entire attention to the work of superintending/ reading/scribing”.

It continues: “The use of mobile phones, reading of newspapers, or books, writing letters, sewing, knitting or engaging in any occupation other than superintending/reading/scribing, during the examinations, is incompatible with the proper discharge of their duties.”