The home economics (social and scientific) papers were described as testing and long, with ill-prepared or weaker students finding the going tough.

Equally, those who prepared a wide range of questions were rewarded as human organs such as the liver and heart came up on the higher-and ordinary-level papers respectively.

The higher-level paper was "testing" but "user-friendly", said Deirdre Healy, teacher at St Joseph's secondary school in Stanhope Street, Dublin. "You needed to have your work done - if you did you were all right," she said.

Elizabeth Hayes at Colaiste Dun Iasaigh in Cahir, Co Tipperary, said: "There was no room for waffle."

She emphasised the length of the paper and said students needed every minute. She said question 4 on freezing was a challenge, with students being asked to discuss two methods of commercial freezing. "It is on the course, but was still a tough question," she said.

Questions 1 (protein) and 3 (human liver) were anticipated in several schools, Healy said, and many students would have done them in school exams.

Healy said they were long, however, and the liver question had two parts on metabolism and homeostasis which tested many candidates.

In the social section there was a question on marriage breakdown. "Unfortunately this is relevant to a lot of young people nowadays, but you still needed to know your stuff," Healy said. One section asked the candidate to give an account of the Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996 and other family law acts, and this was hard.

Question 6 was on the education system. The language in the question presented some problems, Healy said, with one part asking for the "principal features of contemporary education".

Question 7 on two kitchen appliances was also very difficult and technical, she said, with candidates asked to give the costs, working principles, modern features and construction of both.

Hayes said the ordinary-level was "testing and to the point". There was a "fine" vitamin-C question and one on heat which was familiar. How pasta is made, was difficult to explain. Hayes remarked that home economics (social and scientific) runs over 2 hours and 45 minutes, 15 less than many other subjects. Teachers of the subject have been pushing for equality of time with other subjects for some years.