Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
323. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a proposal (details supplied) to stimulate economic growth and increase employment through the introduction of entrepreneurship as a curriculum subject for second level school students. [37760/13]
View answerThe Framework for Junior Cycle which is to be implemented from 2014, acknowledges the key role of entrepreneurship. In its principles the Framework highlights the role of "creativity and innovation". There are 24 Statements of Learning which specify what students should know, understand, value and be able to do at the end of junior cycle. A number of the statements are relevant to enterprise but one in particular emphasises that the students "should take initiative, be innovative and develop entrepreneurial skills".
In Senior Cycle, there are opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills through, for example, the Leaving Certificate Business Studies course or through participation in the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme Links modules and in the Leaving Certificate Applied.
For Transition Year students there is the opportunity to participate in the Sean Lemass Awards that include the Transition Year Mini Company and its "Get up and Go" competition and the County/ City Enterprise Board "Student Enterprise " Competition. In 2013, almost 16,000 students participated in the Student Enterprise competitions.
I am committed to our young people developing entrepreneurial skills and a number of initiatives, as noted above, are in place to make this a reality.
