asked the Minister for Education whether his attention has been drawn to views expressed by a professor of logic and psychology that a large proportion of school children in the national schools should not begin a second language at school, and that the result of the present system is to disturb the emotional life of a large proportion of school children; and whether he proposes to take steps to alter the present system and, if not, why.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teaching of Languages in National Schools.
Mr. Lynch
I have read the article to which the Deputy refers. The fact that one professor expresses certain opinions and makes a number of categorical statements in relation to a problem which is open to a wide divergency of views is not in my opinion a sufficient reason for jumping to any conclusions. It would, I submit, require a great deal more research than has been done to establish that the present national school programme disturbs the emotional life of a large proportion of school children. That being so, I do not see that the question of taking the steps suggested by the Deputy arises.
I would add, however, that I feel that there is need for a good deal more such research.