Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 October 2016
162. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is currently a leaving certificate chemistry textbook as Gaeilge available for those persons studying leaving certificate chemistry through the Irish language; if not, his plans to make such a textbook available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28136/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Education and Skills does not generally approve, commission, sponsor or endorse educational text-books. Books are commissioned and published by educational publishers, and schools select their books from those available from a number of publishers.
Where there is very little or no demand for a book in Irish on a particular subject the publishers will not enter the market. However all Gaeltacht schools have the opportunity to avail of the wide range of books and other resources through Irish for most subject areas that have been made available by an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta. A list of such resources is available at www.cogg.ie. There is no Leaving Certificate Chemistry text book available in Irish at present and there are no plans to develop a text book for the current Leaving Certificate Chemistry syllabus. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is currently developing a new Leaving Certificate Chemistry specification.
The Department of Education and Skills is carrying out a review of Gaeltacht education with a view to identifying options for Irish medium education in Gaeltacht areas and clarifying the Department's policy with regard to such provision in Gaeltacht schools. Issues such as the language of the textbooks and teaching resources used in Gaeltacht schools will be considered in light of the findings of the review.
