I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 75, 79 and 279 together.
Research in this area is carried out by my Department on the basis of on-going monitoring and assessment of the provision for modern languages in the post-primary school system. It is the policy of my Department to encourage as many children as possible to take at least one European language in addition to Irish and English, from the beginning of their post-primary education, that is from age 12.
The Deputy will be aware that the Primary Curriculum Review Body considered the question of the introduction of a modern continental language in the senior classes of primary school but recommended against it.
The arguments relating to time and curriculum overload, as well as the demands of the two languages on the present curriculum, were cited as influencing this decision.
My Department, through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, are undertaking a full examination of the recommendations of the Primary Curriculum Review Body.
As European languages do not form part of the prescribed curriculum for primary schools the number of national schools which are supplying tuition in such languages is not available to my Department.