Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 422: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, economics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36373/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 423: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, economic history is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36374/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 424: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, art is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36375/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 425: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, music is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36376/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 426: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, Russian is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36377/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 427: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, Arabic is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36378/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 428: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, Japanese is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36379/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 429: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, religious education is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36380/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 422 to 429, inclusive, together.

In accordance with the rules and programme for secondary schools, the approved course for the established leaving certificate must include Irish and not less than four of the following examination subjects, all of which are optional: classical studies; ancient Greek; Latin; English; Hebrew studies; French; German; Italian; Spanish; history; geography; mathematics; applied mathematics; physics; chemistry; physics and chemistry; agricultural science; biology; agricultural economics; engineering; technical drawing; construction studies; home economics — scientific and social; accounting; business; economics; art, including crafts; music; Russian; Arabic; Japanese; and religious education.

Rule 46 of the rules and programme for secondary schools and in my Department's Circular Letter M10/94 make provision for exemption from the study of Irish in limited special circumstances. In the established leaving certificate examination, separate higher, ordinary and foundation level papers are set in the case of the subjects Irish and mathematics. In the case of the other subjects papers are set at both ordinary and higher levels. The subject economic history has been discontinued. It was examined for the last time in the leaving certificate examination in June 2005.