John O'Donoghue
Question:21 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education if she will introduce an oral Irish examination at junior certificate level as recommended in the 1995-96 academic year. [5109/95]
Vol. 450 No. 4
21 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education if she will introduce an oral Irish examination at junior certificate level as recommended in the 1995-96 academic year. [5109/95]
A voluntary oral Irish test conducted according to guidelines issued from the Department is available in the junior certificate. This option is taken up by very few schools. The testing of ability in the spoken language is mainly through the aural examination which tests listening and comprehension skills and forms a significant element of the examination. It is the intention to have a full scale oral examination as soon as this can be achieved but I am not in a position at this stage to state that it can be introduced in the 1995-96 academic year.