asked the Minister for Education the plans made to guarantee that the subject Gaeilge will be taught effectively to every student in primary and post-primary schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teaching of Irish.
8.
Mr. R. Burke
The arrangements made by the Department of Education in connection with the teaching of Irish in primary schools are such as to ensure that the subject will be taught with a high degree of efficiency.
The Department, in consultation with the teachers, has prepared a series of handbooks for the teaching of Irish, standard by standard, based on a scientific study of the language content appropriate to each standard. By arrangement with private publishers a number of series of reading texts, additional reading texts, workbooks and library books have been produced for the various standards, based on the handbooks.
This constitutes a complete apparatus for the teaching of Irish at all primary school levels.
The same procedure has been adopted and the same types of handbooks and reading material have been provided for the junior post-primary standards. Anthologies of prose and poetry for intermediate and leaving certificate levels are in course of preparation and it is expected that the anthologies for the intermediate standard should be available at the beginning of the coming school year.
Two courses in Irish are being prepared, one for students of post-primary schools orientated specifically towards the acquisition of oral proficiency by students who may not opt for a study of the literature of the language; the other, a course of Irish studies which will broaden the scope of the purely Irish language study to include the cultural and historical background of the Irish tradition.
When drafted, both courses will be submitted for study and comment to the appropriate teaching and other educational bodies.
In general, the arrangements for the teaching of Irish at both primary and post-primary levels make for very highly efficient teaching.
The Minister's reply was rather lengthy. Do I gather that henceforth in post primary schools the study of the subject "Gaeilge" will be optional?
Mr. R. Burke
No. If the Deputy means that one can opt out of studying the Irish language, the answer is "No". However, there are two types of course in preparation: one is a course specifically orientated towards the acquisition of oral proficiency rather than an excessive emphasis on literature and the other is a course of purely Irish studies to broaden the scope of the language study, improve the background tradition and so on.
Will the Minister indicate whether or not we will have a continuation of examinations in the subject "Gaeilge"?
Mr. R. Burke
Yes, I can so assure the Deputy.
For all students?
Might I ask the Minister in what context he uses the word "optional" just now? Which Irish course in post-primary schools will be optional and which compulsory?
Mr. R. Burke
The Deputy will realise that the courses I am talking about are still being drafted. We are talking about the future. When the courses are drafted and agreed the pupils will have an opportunity of making a choice.
Apparently then it will be optional as to whether or not students henceforth will study and sit for examinations in the subject "Gaeilge".
Mr. R. Burke
It depends on what the Deputy means by the subject "Gaeilge". The subject "Gaeilge" is the present arrangement. When our arrangements are completed there will be two subjects: one will be "Irish studies" and the other will be "Gaeilge". The "Irish studies" subject will include the Irish language, something I have been at pains very often to point out and, therefore, all students will study the Irish language.
I have given Deputies a great deal of latitude on this question.
I have just one supplementary question.
Deputy Faulkner, and this will be the final supplementary.
Would the Minister agree with the point made by the committee in the interim report on the intermediate examination that, if here is a conflict between the syllabus and the examination, it is the general experience that the victory goes to the examination and will he, therefore, agree that if students need not take Gaeilge as a subject it will not be possible to have the language taught effectively to these students.
Mr. R. Burke
If I understand the Deputy correctly, he is asking me if the subject "Irish" will continue to be taught in schools. The answer is "Yes". Will it be followed by the students? The answer is "Yes". Will it be taught effectively? The answer is "Yes". I think it will.
A Cheann Comhairle, I do not burden you very often. I would like to ask the Minister is he happy that these courses now being formulated will have the effect of ensuring that pupils and individual schools, in particular, will not now be in a position to opt out of learning and teaching Irish?
Mr. R. Burke
I am happy, for the reasons I have stated, that it will not be possible to opt out.