Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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I want to talk a little about science. I have a little bit of a worry about how we are aligning science with mathematics and technology. I will talk about science as three subjects. As it splits out into the leaving certificate, science becomes physics, chemistry and biology. I am concerned with where we are placing science, which is within the engineering, technology and mathematics strand. My concern is that often steers us towards the physics end of the spectrum as opposed to the biology end of it. The level of mathematics required to do anything meaningful at the physics end of the spectrum means students will not get there until fifth and sixth year. I strongly feel that if science demonstrations are being done, then science is not being taught. Science is about inquiry.

I worry that if we steer in that direction and away from the SESE approach, where we had history and geography in there too, we will lose a major opportunity, especially in terms of the biology outcome, for example, and children understanding science as a way into understanding the world around them. I do not know if that amounts to a question as such.