Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 25 Apr 1961

Vol. 188 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Pupils taking Courses in Science and Continental Languages.

28.

Mr. Corish

asked the Minister for Education, the number of pupils taking Science, Latin, Greek and continental languages, together with the numbers taking each continental language, (a) at Intermediate Certificate level and (b) at Leaving Certificate level in each of the years 1950-1959.

Dr. Hillery

The required information is given in tabular statements which, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report.

Following are the statements:—

TABLE showing the number of pupils following Intermediate Certificate courses in Science, Latin, Greek and continental languages in each of the school years 1949-50 to 1958-59.

School-Year	INTERMEDIATE CERTIFICATE
Latin	Greek	French	German	Italian	Spanish	*Science	Agricultural Science
1949-50	27,763	3,061	17,084	212	3	67	14,475	390
1950-51	28,448	3,212	18,072	222	2	131	15,239	530
1951-52	28,122	3,146	19,068	258	2	110	15,187	649
1952-53	29,688	3,316	18,392	131	—	116	15,750	702
1953-54	30,277	2,956	20,437	131	4	123	16,611	488
1954-55	31,551	3,099	21,316	148	69	145	17,010	449
1955-56	33,518	3,203	22,294	178	45	154	17,920	418
1956-57	34,924	3,645	23,473	196	43	111	19,337	488
1957-58	37,111	3,589	25,205	217	40	214	21,736	503
1958-59	38,740	3,367	26,677	216	44	317	23,237	488

* The figures for Science do not include Domestic Science, which is confined to Girls.

TABLE showing the number of pupils following Leaving Certificate courses in Science, Latin, Greek and continental languages in each of the school-years 1949-50 to 1958-59.

School-Year	LEAVING CERTIFICATE
Latin	Greek	French	German	Italian	Spanish	Physics	Chemistry	Physics and Chemistry	General Science	Botany	Physiology and Hygiene	Agricultural Science
1949-50	7,858	1,013	3,565	60	34	48	969	1,392	302	817	533	1,130	87
1950-51	8,270	1,230	3,770	72	13	52	1,083	1,379	269	471	357	1,398	72
1951-52	8,566	1,070	4,047	64	17	51	1,148	1,570	290	885	419	1,569	82
1952-53	8,922	1,099	4,121	209	26	42	1,216	1,654	230	941	521	1,691	204
1953-54	9,289	1,100	4,404	82	24	20	1,275	1,945	326	574	581	2,141	179
1954-55	9,312	1,151	4,825	91	26	29	1,429	1,818	437	696	587	2,447	174
1955-56	9,588	1,192	5,035	85	36	49	1,581	1,960	332	796	670	2,862	182
1956-57	9,746	1,138	5,226	120	32	64	1,732	1,979	505	676	767	2,800	206
1957-58	10,091	1,003	5,286	139	39	94	2,020	2,280	509	833	775	2,900	246
1958-59	10,570	1,062	5,680	138	52	130	2,167	2,709	553	1,124	738	3,105	441

29.

Mr. Corish

asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils in technical schools taking courses in continental languages, together with the numbers taking each continental language, at (a) elementary level and (b) advanced level, in each of the years 1950-1959.

Dr. Hillery

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in a tabular statement, which, with the permission of An Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the official report.

The figures given relate to enrolments in the various continental language classes. It may be that a number of individual pupils were enrolled in more than one language class. My Department's records do not contain any information in relation to this matter.

Following is the statement:—

PARTICULARS of enrolments in Continental Language Courses in Vocational Schools during the period 1950-59.

Year	Total Enrolments	FRENCH	GERMAN	SPANISH	ITALIAN
Elem.	Inter.	Adv.	Elem.	Inter.	Adv.	Elem.	Inter.	Adv.	Elem.	Inter.	Adv.
1950-51	1,187	408	189	108	110	63	21	145	31	20	46	27	19
1951-52	1,158	364	198	110	96	41	22	186	37	19	40	22	23
1952-53	1,103	396	140	59	125	48	19	111	72	36	41	38	18
1953-54	1,137	385	134	79	136	60	19	127	69	27	60	24	17
1954-55	1,234	361	150	83	117	88	16	198	44	35	81	49	12
1955-56	1,304	430	196	73	148	55	9	181	51	20	94	31	16
1956-57	1,206	402	156	103	145	49	18	141	38	21	81	37	15
1957-58	1,190	398	185	80	129	64	21	129	51	15	76	31	11
1958-59	1,478	413	179	85	300	54	42	225	40	20	70	36	14
1959-60	1,643	552	193	69	275	68	45	281	18	16	75	38	13

In addition to the total enrolments shown above, a number of pupils were enrolled in classes which combined Elementary and Intermediate or Intermediate and Advanced Grade pupils for instruction as indicated in the following table:—

	Year	Language	Enrolments for combined instruction
	1952-53	French	59
	1953-54	French	50
	1954-55	FrenchGerman	97
	1955-56	FrenchGerman	113
	1956-57	FrenchGerman	97
	1957-58	FrenchGerman	87
	1958-59	FrenchSpanish	127
	1959-60	FrenchGerman	115