Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)

I thank the Minister for her answer and welcome the steps she is taking with regard to the leaving certificate. My concern is that there is a gap in the middle. The curriculum at primary level is initially focused on the spoken language, but when children move up to post-primary level, many of them become turned off the language because of the difficulty in dealing with a largely written curriculum.

Is the Minister concerned that, as her answer stated, only 12 schools with 335 students take the oral option? That is a tiny fraction of children and schools. Does the Minister intend to take action to ensure this is mainstream within the junior certificate cycle? Will she consider making it obligatory for an oral examination to be held at junior certificate level? In light of the difficulty involved in the logistics of having people to carry out the examination, has the Minister explored how that can be done, possibly by carrying it out within the school itself. I know there is an issue with the teachers in that regard, but to what extent has the Minister examined that option? I am sure she must be concerned that such a small number is involved at junior certificate level.

Has the Minister considered the proposal by Conradh na Gaeilge, the Union of Students in Ireland and the Union of Secondary Students that she consider introducing two subjects at leaving certificate level, one of which would focus on the language while the other would focus on the more cultural and literary elements of Irish? They have also made a proposal in respect of much more immersion for student teachers in the area of language. Has the Minister carried out any evaluation of the standard of the teaching of Irish at primary and post-primary level?

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