asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that children of returned emigrants are being discriminated against by virtue of compulsory Irish in the leaving certificate examination and for the Higher Diploma in Education; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Irish Examination Qualification.
30.
The Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools provide that a child whose primary education up to 11 years of age was received outside Ireland may, provided that the parent or guardian who had custody of the child was permanently resident outside Ireland during the child's period of education up to that age, substitute a modern continental language for Irish. I cannot agree that requiring a child whose education in this country began before he reached 11 years of age to learn the Irish language could in any way be classed as discriminating against him.
The examination for the Higher Diploma in Education is the concern of the universities and I have no function in relation to it.