Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

As far as the school curriculum is concerned, my aim is to ensure we have a proper follow-on from primary school to second level. Members all recognise that the new primary school curriculum works successfully, is being well taught and is enjoyable for students. However, I have asked the curriculum council to prioritise the curriculum at second level and to establish how much more oral work can be given. Would it be possible, for example, to award 50% of the marks in the leaving certificate for oral Irish, which I strongly believe in mar iar-mhúinteoir Gaeilge? That would lead to a significant change in the methodologies because teachers could concentrate more on debate, drámaíocht, siamsaíocht, pleidhcíocht agus gach rud. Ní bheadh siad go léir sa rang ag iarraidh gramadach agus an iomarca litríochta a mhúineadh. We offer a broad education and our students are asked to do seven subjects, including English, mathematics, a foreign language, science, and, hopefully, history or geography. There is room for every student to take our native language during their education. We can give tacaíocht, cúnamh, athrú béime agus níos mó a dhéanamh ar son an teanga labhartha agus gach rud a dúirt mé, agus ba mhaith liom níos mó a dhéanamh air sin. However, to abolish compulsory Irish for the leaving certificate would destroy the language at all levels in the education system.

I accept Deputy Enright's comment that the Gaeltacht in Mayo is dying but she has failed to consider that Gaeilge is thriving in Dublin, Limerick and Cork. It may be in decline in some areas but there is a shift in the focus and we now have a new urban Gaeilge, which must be recognised. More Irish is being spoken and taught in my constituency, Dún Laoghaire, than in the Mayo Gaeltacht. If one stands outside Scoil Lorcáin, Coláiste Eoin or Coláiste Íosagáin, one will hear not only the children but also the parents conversing in Irish.

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