asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the provisions in the Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools which allow children of foreigners who are diplomatic or consular representatives in Ireland to take English or a modern continental language instead of Irish at the Entrance Examination; and if in view of the large number of foreign persons at present resident and working in this country he will alter the regulations so as to extend the facilities granted to children of diplomatic or consular representatives to children of foreigners who are employed here and who wish to have their children educated in Ireland; and if, in particular, he will amend Rules 26 and 48 (e) so as to extend the facilities to allow all children of foreigners to avail of the educational system to the full.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Children of Foreigners: Amendment of Examination Rules.
I have given very careful consideration to the position of the children of aliens permanently employed in Ireland. As a result of that consideration I have already caused a new rule, No. 72, to be inserted in the current school year's Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools. This new rule, states that such children, if their course of education in Ireland began after their having reached their eleventh birthday, may, provided they have followed a course of study of the required duration in subjects other than Irish, be admitted to the Certificate Examinations in those subjects. They will be given a special certificate setting out the names of the subjects in which they passed or passed with honours, as the case may be. I consider that such a concession is proper particularly in the case of children who would otherwise be faced with the requirement of learning two new languages, Irish and English, at the same time, but that, having due regard to the public interest and the policy of reviving Irish as the spoken language of the country, it is the most that the circumstances either call for or would justify.
While we welcome what the Minister has done, surely the question of making Irish obligatory has not the same force in respect of foreign students or children of foreigners resident here?
I have changed the rule to meet that situation.
Is the Minister satisfied that this meets all the circumstances?
It meets all the requirements consistent with public policy. I think it meets all the needs of these people.
In view of the very large number of foreign people here, such as technicians and skilled personnel, the schools have found it difficult to meet the previous obligation. Is the Minister satisfied that these people now have full facilities?
These regulations permit them to sit for their examinations without having studied Irish as a subject and to get a certificate in the subjects in which they have passed. I consider it meets the situation.