Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

It has been a great pleasure for me over the past year or so to visit more than 200 schools. I am usually impressed by the emphasis being put on dance, singing and the Irish language. While one will get the Mamas and the Papas, and other such songs, in perfect harmony, one will also get the traditional Irish songs. I witnessed wonderful Irish dancing in Monaghan without the wigs and glittery costumes. I have also seen a great seisiún in Wexford. Tin whistles and the recorder are very popular. Obviously the culture and the environment of the community play a huge part. If traditional music is strong in a particular area, it permeates into the school. I opened a school extension in Glenamaddy recently where one of the traditional singers from the town taught the songs of Glenamaddy. That is useful interaction.

I do not agree with the idea of having specialist teachers who come in just to teach music because it is a central part of the training of the primary school teacher. The emphasis and basis of training primary school teachers is that they are multidisciplinary. However, one will find that teachers co-operate with each other and may, perhaps, bring the two first classes together. One who is good at sport will take one group and another who is good at music will take the other.

I appreciate where the Deputy is coming from. In some areas, because of multiculturalism in our schools, the amount of time spent on Irish culture may be diluted to compensate for the broadening of other cultures. In its own way that can be positive because it can ensure that the Irish student looking at his or her Irish culture will appreciate it even more.

See this speech in context