Ms Breda Naughton:

Deputy Jim Daly also asked how often we reviewed approaches to languages. It is an area in which we are very active. We are examining the development of the curriculum at primary level. We are dealing with junior infants, senior infants, first class and second class. The curriculums are mirror images of each other. That makes it easier or more probable that teachers will be able to deal with and support one language alongside another. That is happening and materials are being prepared. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is very involved in consultations about what is being done at various stages. The English curriculum is also being reviewed. That will go out for consultation very shortly. When the Irish curriculum is reviewed next year, that will go out for consultation also. A background paper which will go out for consultation is being prepared. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is trying to work on a consultative basis. It publishes material relating to each area in which it is working on its website and people can respond to it. That is what is being done at primary level. At post-primary level, the English and Irish junior cycle curriculums are being examined. Modern languages will be examined in 2016 and the short Chinese course should be ready for September 2014. Some consideration has been given to the senior cycle language programmes, but they are having to wait in line in the context of the significant amount of work being done in priority areas of the junior cycle programme such as literacy, numeracy, English and Irish. There is a great deal of reviewing. The aim is to ensure languages are not taught in an insular way - those teaching various languages should be aware of each other.

The other thing happening is that, because of the literacy and numeracy strategy, we are trying to get across the message to teachers that they are all literacy or numeracy teachers. For example, if one was dealing with a particular topic in, say, English, one would reinforce that by doing it in Irish also, so the children see the connection between each of the particular subjects. That is particularly easy at primary level because it is usually the same teacher for each subject. There is a lot of work going on in languages at the moment. Perhaps Ms O'Mahony will deal with the issue of compulsory Irish.