Vol. 704 No. 2
6 Deputy James Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of post leaving certificate places he envisages that will be provided from September 2010; his views on the removal of the cap on further appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10829/10]
20 Deputy Arthur Morgan asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to lift the cap on post leaving certificate places to cope with rising demand. [10861/10]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 20 together.
The post leaving certificate, PLC, provides an integrated general education, vocational training and work experience programme for young people who have completed their leaving certificate and adults returning to education. Its purpose is to enhance their prospects of gaining employment or progressing to further or higher education.
Approval of PLC places involves incurring expenditure on teacher salaries, non-pay funding and means tested student support grants. Teachers are appointed to deliver PLC courses on the basis of a pupil-teacher ratio of 17:1 compared to the 19:1 ratio that applies to second level teaching. In addition, non-pay funding related to student numbers is also provided. Finally, students who satisfy the terms of the student support schemes are eligible to receive maintenance grants. Taking all these factors into account, it is estimated that approval for each additional 1,000 PLC places costs about €8 million.
In the current academic year, the number of PLC places approved for funding by my Department is 31,688. This includes an additional 1,500 places approved in the context of the supplementary budget in April 2009. The 2010 budget for my Department has been framed on the basis that the approved number of PLC places for the next academic year will remain at 31,688. The overall number of approved PLC places is set at its current level because there is a continuing requirement to plan and control public service numbers and to manage expenditure within the context of overall educational policy and provision.
However, it is important to note in that regard that the annual returns from PLC providers indicate that enrolments on PLC courses in the current academic year are in excess of 38,600. This is a commendable achievement by the providers of PLC courses and I would hope that this could be repeated in the next academic year.
It is also important that we do not view PLC provision in isolation from other programmes to provide for re-skilling and up-skilling. It is estimated that over 170,000 learners will avail of part-time and full-time further education programmes in 2010. In addition, the total number of full-time enrolments in universities and institutes of technology is estimated at more than 150,000 for the 2009 to 2010 academic year.
The question was about whether we will have more PLC places next year. It is good that we have managed to effectively increase the number by approximately 8,000 between the 1,500 additional places and the 6,500 places which have come from the sector. The problem is that when unemployment was at 150,000 three years ago, there were 30,000 places. Unemployment is now more than 440,000 and there are only 38,000 places.
Besides the colleges doing their bit, what additional support can the Minister of State offer through his Department to the colleges to get more people on to PLC courses, which are excellent courses, flexible, good value for money and really meet the need of many people who are currently unemployed?
I accept the PLC programme is a very important one, in particular in the current context and having regard to our economic situation. As a result of that, we were able to increase the number of PLC places by 1,500 last year. As I said, the work of the PLC colleges and the additional enrolments are very much appreciated by my Department.
I am not in a position to say what the position will be next year in regard to PLC provision other than to say a Cabinet committee on economic renewal is constantly looking at the issue of employment activation, further education, FÁS provision, higher education provision and so forth. From my point of view, as Minister of State with responsibility for adult education and continuing education, the PLC programme is vitally important at this time of the economic cycle.
If he has the information available to him, will the Minister of State indicate the cost of an additional PLC place above and beyond the cap, otherwise he might communicate it to me?
Some 1,000 PLC places cost €8 million. That is taking into account maintenance grants and so on.
The Minister of State and I had the opportunity to attend an Aontas public meeting last week and the key issue brought to our attention was the crisis affecting many older students in terms of the back to education allowance. The Minister of State said he would look into the issue to see if greater flexibility could be shown to those students in the PLC sector. Has he given any consideration to that?
We had a very good exchange of views at the Aontas lobby for learning seminar last Friday on this issue of the payment of the back to education allowance and the maintenance grant. This must be seen as a duplication of income support payments. It must also be seen in the context of the reduction in the rates of social welfare introduced in budget 2010 last December.
I undertook to clarify certain issues in that regard and I know there is a later parliamentary question on this, although I do not know if we will reach it. Some of the students present were not sure whether they would continue on the same course or whether they would go on to a new course. As the Deputy knows, if one continues on the same course, there is no change for existing students. I intend to clarify that, especially in view of the particular circumstances of the students who raised their situations with me.
7 Deputy Seán Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 181 of 10 December 2009, in regard to each college of education in the State and funded by his Department, if it is possible for a student to undertake and complete the bachelor of education course qualifying them for employment as a primary school teacher without undertaking a module in religious education or being required to teach religion on teaching practice; the provision that is made in each of the colleges of education for students who object on grounds of religious belief or non-belief or other grounds of conscience to participating in faith formation; if there is any recognised and viable education and career path open to a person who is not a member of the Christian faith or is without religious belief to acquire educational qualifications and to achieve employment as a primary school teacher; if he has any proposals to review this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10698/10]
Traditionally, primary schools have played a significant role in the faith formation of their pupils and this is still the case. The colleges of education, in recognition of this reality, aim to prepare student teachers to be able to mediate religious education curricula.
The content of the bachelor of education programme is currently a matter for the individual colleges of education. The bachelor of education courses provided by the colleges of education include compulsory modules on religious education. The content of these courses varies between the different institutions and, in general, has a strong focus on methodology. They aim to ensure that student teachers understand the spiritual and religious development of the primary school child in a general sense and that they are aware of the content and methodologies of the programmes developed by the Catholic church, the board of education of the general synod of the Church of Ireland and Educate Together.
They also aim to ensure that the student teachers are enabled to plan a religious education programme which can be applied in schools of varying traditions and ethos. In recent years, my Department has funded a pilot project which involved representatives from Educate Together and the colleges working together to develop material on the ethical education programme Learn Together for inclusion in the colleges' modules. Currently, there is no separate qualification for primary teaching available in the State which does not include religious education.
Teaching practice is also an essential part of the learning and assessment process for bachelor of education students. On teaching practice, students generally teach all primary school subjects which include, for example, in the case of denominational primary schools, religious education, and in Educate Together schools, the ethical education programme Learn Together.
In general, the colleges of education accept students of all faiths and none on the bachelor of education programme and entry is based on points achieved in the leaving certificate examination. On foot of the Deputy's question, my Department asked the colleges of education whether a student has ever objected on grounds of religious belief or non-belief or other grounds of conscience to participating in faith formation and if so, what steps had been, or would be, taken. The responses received from the colleges so far have indicated that this has not arisen to date. In response, some of the colleges pointed out that course content is constantly reviewed and updated to respond to the changing educational landscape and the needs of Irish society generally.
Some of the colleges of education also offer an optional certificate in religion programme which is separate from the bachelor of education and is recognised by the Irish Catholic hierarchy as appropriate preparation for teachers to teach religious education in primary schools in that sector. This is required as a condition of employment in particular schools. The Teaching Council, which is responsible for the maintenance of standards in teaching and registering teachers, does not require a separate qualification in religious studies for registration as a primary school teacher. The situation with the Church of Ireland College of Education is somewhat different as its remit is to provide teachers for the Protestant primary school sector and it may reserve places on the bachelor of education for students from Protestant backgrounds.
The Teaching Council, which has statutory responsibility for the review and accreditation of programmes of initial teacher education, has recently initiated reviews of a range of issues in the area.
The reply the Minister of State just gave is contrary to, and in contravention of, the Constitution. Article 44.2.1° states: "Freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion are, subject to public order and morality, guaranteed to every citizen." Article 44.2.2° states: "The State guarantees not to endow any religion." Article 44.2.3° states: "The State shall not impose any disabilities or make any discrimination on the ground of religious profession, belief or status."
I do not believe he was referring to——
I was drawing the Minister of State's attention to that. He seemed to be mathematically challenged earlier and I wanted to assist him.
Who is mathematically challenged?
I got that impression, perhaps my hearing is poor.
To whom was the Deputy referring?
I was referring to the Minister of State. Will he answer the question?
Does the Minister of State agree that students attending teacher training colleges endowed by the State are required to take religious modules and that it may be in contravention of their constitutional right to freedom of conscience?
I do not know whether I am mathematically challenged. I am legally challenged because I believe I am the only non-lawyer in my family.
Since the Deputy has raised a very significant constitutional issue, the best thing for me to do is to refer the matter to the Attorney General to see whether he believes the Deputy is correct. Obviously, I cannot answer the question. I do not see how it is in conflict with the Constitution but if the Deputy believes it is, I will have it checked out.
Does the Minister of State not agree that by endowing the four teacher training colleges, all of which are of the Christian denomination, that the State is endowing religion? I will give the Minister of State an example of where a person doing a post-graduate course chose to opt out of the religious component of the post-graduate degree. The person was told the college knew he or she did not agree but was asked to go along with it because the college required him or her to do it. Does that position not violate the principles of this republic in the 21st century?
While the issue the Deputy raises clearly concerns a person's freedom of conscience, the matter would have to be examined. I suspect in the case cited that it would be impossible for a college to force someone to take a subject if a genuine issue of conscience arose. That is my instinctive view of how the Supreme Court would treat a case of this nature, although I cannot be definitive on the matter. If the Deputy provides me with details of the case, I will notify them to the Attorney General for a response.
The net point is that if a person who qualifies under the CAO points system to train as a teacher in one of the Roman Catholic teaching colleges, which are entirely endowed by the State through taxpayers' money, requests on freedom of conscience grounds to opt out of the religious modules of a teacher training course, does he or she have a right, in conscience and under the Constitution and regulations governing the Department, to participate in that teacher training course and graduate without being compulsorily required to do the teacher training modules in areas of religion, faith formation and, specifically, to take classes for holy communion and confirmation?
While this may be a constitutional issue which would require clarification, in terms of a person's ability to teach within our system I suspect that, as 96% of primary schools are religious, it would be a requirement that a teacher be able to teach the subject to which the Deputy refers given that it is part of the curriculum. I do not believe a case has arisen to date of a person in this particular circumstance. The issue is effectively untried and untested in that no one of a strong humanist mind has presented.
That is what we used to say about child abuse.
8 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the likely consequences of the reduction and or the removal of special needs assistants from the classroom in various schools throughout the country; his views on whether the likely damage to the education structure in schools that are already overburdened with responsibility and high pupil-teacher ratios, the likelihood that this development will permanently scar the education system and lead to a deterioration of the quality of education at a time of greatest requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10908/10]
The Deputy will be aware special education continues to be a key Government policy. There has been unprecedented investment in providing supports for pupils with special needs in recent years. There are now about 20,000 adults in our schools working solely with pupils with special needs. This figure includes more than 10,000 special needs assistants, SNAs, 8,600 resource and learning support teachers, more than 1,100 special school teachers and hundreds of other teachers in special classes. More than 23,000 teachers availed of training places provided by the Special Education Support Service, SESS, in 2009 which were designed to ensure a quality service that promotes inclusiveness, collaboration and equality of access to educational opportunities for students with special educational needs. More than €1 billion is being spent in supporting special educational provision this year.
As well as this significant increase in the numbers of additional teachers and special needs assistants providing appropriate education and care supports for children with special educational needs, much investment has taken place in the provision of transport, specialist school accommodation, home tuition, assistive technology and equipment.
My Department is very supportive of the SNA scheme, which has been a key factor in both ensuring the successful integration of children with special educational needs into mainstream education and providing support to pupils enrolled in special schools and special classes.
The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is carrying out a review of SNA allocations in all schools with a view to ensuring that the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. This exercise may result in the identification of surplus posts which are in the system and do not meet the current criteria, in other words, posts that have been retained when a pupil's care needs have diminished or where the pupil has left. At the same time, the NCSE is allocating additional posts where the criteria are met.
While there is no question of SNA posts being removed from schools where they continue to meet the scheme's criteria, there is also no question of posts being left in schools where they are deemed to be surplus to pupils' care needs. At a time of constrained resources it is essential we ensure public resources, both staff and resources, are deployed as effectively as possible. Resources left in an area that are not in accordance with criteria mean public resources are not available for another deserving area.
I emphasise that children with special educational needs will continue to receive an education appropriate to their needs. The NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers and resources will continue to be allocated to schools to meet children's needs in line with my Department's policy.
How many special needs assistants have lost their position in the past six months?
I have made a statement on this matter. As the Deputy will be aware, some special needs assistants have been——
I asked a straight question. Will the Minister answer it?
Please allow the Minister to reply without interruption.
I do not want to hear waffle.
The Minister is entitled to answer in the manner he chooses.
I made and communicated a decision that some posts are being created in schools while others are being removed. I will not set out the factual position until the review, which is due for completion at the end of March, has concluded.
The Minister has stated regularly in the House and elsewhere that in the event of a student with a special needs assistant leaving a school, the SNA post should be removed. I concur with his position on that issue. How many such cases has he encountered?
As the Deputy is aware, the National Council for Special Education is independent of the Minister and I do not interfere in its operations. While I obtain information from the council, it would not be appropriate at this point to provide figures on the current position given that the final figure will be different. The NCSE is removing some SNA posts and creating new posts elsewhere.
The Minister should give us the figures.
We do not know what is the position at this point.
I remind the Minister that this is the national Parliament and it, rather than the Minister, established the National Council for Special Education. If this Parliament determines to find out the number of posts lost, it should be given the relevant information. The view abroad is that the NCSE is doing the Minister's dirty work and he is hiding behind a new quango, having instructed it to remove 10% or more than 1,000 of the SNA posts. People believe the council is taking the flak and the Minister is able to hide behind the convenient propaganda that this is a matter for the NCSE. That excuse does not wash.
The Deputy must ask a question.
Is the Minister satisfied with the manner in which the NCSE has consulted the parents of children from whom it is removing SNA posts? Is he satisfied with the alleged appeals system put in place, which involves a senior special educational needs organiser, SENO, coming to a view of a decision taken by an SENO in another county? I have asked two straight questions.
The Deputy indicated I am hiding behind the NCSE. This Parliament established the National Council for Special Education as an independent body. The Minister should not interfere in the operations of the council, which has a job to do. Criteria have been laid down for determining whether a child requires a special needs assistant. The scheme is demand led and if a child meets the criteria, a special needs assistant is provided. If a child with special needs moves on, the SNA post should be vacated. I am glad the Deputy concurs with me in that regard.
In certain circumstances, a child with special needs will no longer require the same level of support. We are trying to train children with special needs to cope with independent living. Thankfully, many hundreds of them now live independently as a result of the support they received. Needs will, therefore, diminish.
The Deputy asked about consultation with parents. I have made clear that the National Council for Special Education is prepared to discuss with schools the set up in a school and the appropriateness of the placement of children with special needs in the school. The council is also prepared to talk to parents. In response to the next question, which has been tabled by the Deputy and relates to a specific school, I will outline in greater detail what is being done in the school in question.
Is the Minister satisfied with the NSCE's consultation with parents?
It is important that a proper appeals system is in place.
Is the Minister satisfied with the current system?
I have piloted 22 schools and I have indicated clearly to the NCSE that where there are difficulties, because this is emotionally charged and parents are genuinely concerned, to meet through the school with parents whose children would be affected. That is important.
9 Deputy Ulick Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in the case of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24, he will confirm that no further teachers and special needs assistants will be lost at that school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10764/10]
The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in the support of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream and special schools.
That comes as a complete surprise.
The Deputy will also be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is at present carrying out a review on the allocation of SNAs in schools with a view to ensuring the criteria governing the allocation of such posts are properly met. This exercise may result in the identification of surplus posts which are in the system and which do not meet the current criteria, such as posts that have been retained when a pupil's care needs have diminished or where the pupil has left. At the same time the NCSE is allocating additional posts where the criteria are met.
The current review relates to SNA posts. No decision has been taken on teacher posts. Falling enrolments would be one of the factors to be considered in this context. However, any change in the profile of the pupils being enrolled in special schools will also be taken into account.
In the case of the school in question, the NCSE is committed to engaging with the school authorities and all other relevant State agencies to manage the situation in the short term and to ensure a sound basis for staff levels in the interest of pupils. The NCSE is also arranging to meet parents individually in consultation with the school authorities.
This process is ongoing. A meeting took place on Friday last, 26 February, between the NCSE and the school authorities. Without prejudice to the allocation role of the NCSE, officials from my Department also attended this meeting. The NCSE is working constructively with the school authorities to resolve any outstanding matters. It is important that all schools work constructively with the NCSE on any staffing issues. It is not appropriate for my Department to intervene in the allocation process.
The Deputy is fully aware that I have prioritised the provision of special education supports to schools. This is a key Government policy. However, this does not mean that resources, allocated in response to various historical factors, are retained in schools ad infinitum. At a time of constrained resources, it is essential we ensure public resources, both staff and other resources, are deployed as effectively as possible. Resources left in an area that are not in accordance with criteria mean public resources are not available for another deserving area.
I am sure the Deputy shares my concern to ensure there is a consistent application of policy in the allocation of special needs supports throughout the country. This is all that is happening at present. I assure the Deputy that supports will continue to be made available to schools which have enrolled pupils who qualify for such support and children with special educational needs will continue to have access to an appropriate education in line with my Department's policy.
I invite the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to visit this school in Balrothery in my constituency, which is also that of the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, to see at first hand that school, those children and the teachers in that school. If those children were not in that school, there would be nowhere else for them because many of them attempted to go to other schools but could not find a place because of the mainstream situation there. These children have nowhere else to go.
The NCSE originally proposed that 60% of the teacher and SNA provision in that school would be lost by September next. I put it to the Minister that that makes that school unviable. I put it him that there is no way the school can function with such a loss of personnel.
The community I represent, which the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, represents along with Deputies Rabbitte and O'Connor, wants to know whether the Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, will intervene directly to stop the loss of four further SNAs on 12 April.
It is important for me to set out the position with the school. It is a special school and it is supposed to be catering for mild general learning disability. There are now 89 pupils enrolled. When the NCSE undertook its review in the school, it discovered that 23 of the pupils did not have a mild general learning disability——
That is countered by the school.
——that five of the pupils had ASD and seven of the pupils had a moderate general learning disability.
Tell that to the parents.
Some of the other students did not have any assessed special educational need. The school has 89 pupils with a staffing of an administrative principal, 15 teachers, four teachers who provide special subject hours and 17 special needs assistants. In 2002-03, there were 122 pupils and the school had one teacher extra with the same number of SNAs. Even though there has been a drop in the number of pupils, the school has maintained the number of SNAs.
The fall in enrolment together with the large number of children who do not meet the official criteria for the school means that the current staffing of the school is excessive. The NCSE advised the school on 19 February last that four SNA posts would be suppressed. It has alerted the school to the possibility that a further four SNA posts will be suppressed with effect from 2 April.
Nonetheless, it is anxious to work with the school to support the children with ASD and moderate GLD. For example, if the school were to open a class for children with autism, this would need one teacher and two SNAs.
No decision has been taken on teacher posts. Falling enrolments would be one of the factors to be considered in this context. However, any change in the profile of the pupils——
I want to take a supplementary question from Deputy Hayes.
It is important I get the facts on the record.
I am glad the Minister gets the facts because they are changing day in, day out. The initial position of the NCSE was that it had jurisdiction over this school when it came to teaching posts. Now the Minister has changed the story. Now his Department is telling me, through him, that he will decide on teaching posts. This is being made up as the Minister goes along between the NCSE and the Department.
Will the Minister visit the school? He can put any fancy term he wants on an educational disability that the NCSE has told him to tell me in this House today, but he must visit the school and see these children. These are challenging children. In many circumstances, one SNA is needed per child as a means of trying to get the learning opportunity for everyone verified in that school. Mid-year, the Minister and the Government has already taken away four SNA posts from this school and is now proposing to take away another four posts. Is that fair?
It is important that children are placed appropriately.
Yes.
It is important that if——
Where else can they go?
The pupil-teacher ratio for children who have autism is 6:1.
In the units.
The pupil-teacher ratio for children who have moderate general learning disability is 8:1. The pupil-teacher ratio for children who have mild general learning disability is 11:1 and the Department accepts 9:1.
I am equally concerned about those children. I am equally concerned that they get the proper supports in the proper environment and that all necessary support is in place for them. There are 23 children in the school who have not been assessed as having special needs. We have arranged for the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, to carry out an analysis of the needs of those children——
Of every one of those 23 children?
——and that is agreed. We have asked the school to engage with the NCSE. We are prepared to get NEPS to examine and categorise those children properly in order that they are provided with the proper and necessary supports they are due.
10 Deputy Brian O’Shea asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will publish the findings of the audit into the assets of the 18 religious teaching orders which was ordered in June 2009 when the Taoiseach and he met representatives of the teaching orders in view of the Ryan report; the way the public will be able to assess whether the revised offer is fair and adequate if the audit is not published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10715/10]
The Government has been considering the report of the panel appointed to assess the statements of resources submitted by the 18 religious congregations that were party to the 2002 indemnity agreement, together with the offers of contributions from the congregations following the call for them to make further substantial contributions by way of reparation in view of the Ryan report. From the outset, the Government has made clear that these contributions need to be capable of being assessed by the public for their significance by reference to the full resources available to the congregations and in the context of the costs of well in excess of €1 billion incurred by the State. In this context, the panel was appointed to assess the statements of resources submitted by the congregations and report to Government as to the adequacy of these statements as a basis for assessing the congregations' resources. It is expected to publish the panel's report and details of the offers from the congregations before Easter. In advance of publication it is proposed to meet representatives of the former residents and with the congregations.
I welcome the Minister's reply. In the probability that there will be a shortfall between what is offered and what is required from the teaching congregations, will the Minister request, as I have asked him to do previously, in addition to what they will offer which would be below what is required, that the congregations transfer the legal ownership of the schools under their control and ownership to the State, on condition and on the understanding that the existing patronage arrangements would continue until such time as the school itself would opt otherwise?
I am very conscious of the recommendations made to me by the Deputy, but unfortunately the issue is still under consideration by the Government. I made it clear previously that we are duty bound to make the congregations aware of the Government's thinking and to communicate our decision to the survivors. We hope to have those meetings shortly. I will take cognisance of the recommendation made by the Deputy.
I thank the Minister for his reply. Will he also take cognisance of the response of Irish citizens in the diocese of Ferns to the request by the diocese to contribute towards the costs incurred by the diocese with regard to child abuse? Will he recognise that, politically, it would be in the interest of all parties concerned, the citizens of this republic and the teaching orders, that a due and generous response be made? Teaching orders will continue to teach and schools will remain as they are. The decision to change patronage will rest with the existing patrons, not anybody else. However, the public will see that a generous response has been made in order to meet at least half the cost of the €1.3 billion that taxpayers have paid out in compensation to victims.
At the start of this process it was the view of all Members that the public should be the final arbiter with regard to the offers the congregations would make. In that regard, the Government will, having taken a decision and discussed it with both parties, allow the public to be the arbiter. It would be inappropriate for the Government to interfere with regard to making recommendations as to what should happen in Ferns or to interfere in church matters in general. Therefore, I will refrain from making any such comment. I am conscious the public will decide the adequacy or otherwise of the offer that has been made by the congregations.
11 Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Science if a decision has been made on the changes to the Leaving Certificate 2012 Gaeilge literature course, exam format and oral exam format subsequent to circular 0042/2007; and if his attention has been drawn to the difficulty this delay is creating for teachers and students. [10864/10]
The need to promote greater proficiency in spoken Irish has been identified in a number of research reports in recent years. My Department has therefore taken a number of initiatives to ensure that students develop greater fluency in oral Irish during the course of their primary and second level education. In order to motivate students to focus on spoken Irish, a more prominent role has been given to oral Irish in the second level syllabuses and examinations. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment was asked to consider the implications of increased marks for the oral examinations for the allocation of marks for other aspects of the Irish syllabus and examinations.
I have recently received recommendations from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment with regard to the revised leaving certificate course for Gaeilge. The courses in question, which relate to ordinary level and higher level, will be introduced in schools in September 2010 and will be examined for the first time in the leaving certificate examination 2012.
Recommendations have also been received about changes to the assessment of Gaeilge and adjustments to various components of the examinations, including the oral examination that is common to both higher level and ordinary level courses.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House
The recommendations take account of the changes in the proportion of marks for the leaving certificate oral Irish examination outlined in Circular Letter 0042/2007 and recommend consequential adjustments in the allocation of marks for the written components of the examination. A circular letter providing details of the changes to the Gaeilge leaving certificate syllabuses and assessment will be issued to schools in the next two weeks.
I believe that my approach to promoting spoken Irish is entirely consistent with the Government's statement on the Irish language 2006 where the Government's policy to increase the knowledge and use of the Irish language as a community language was clearly stated. In addition to increasing the proportion of marks for oral assessment in State examinations, my Department has provided seminars and in-school supports to assist teachers of Irish in adopting new methods to support the increased emphasis on the teaching of oral Irish. The support service for Irish began the implementation of this support programme in October 2007 to promote a significant shift in emphasis towards Irish as a spoken language, to enable students to communicate and interact in a spontaneous way and to promote Irish as an everyday spoken language in schools.
