Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Every day in this job I learn something new and this is one of those.

I understand that proponents of intelligent design theory assert that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection. Those who favour this theory claim that the complexity of the natural world can be plausibly explained only by assuming an intelligent designer. Critics regard it as creationist theory reinvented to appear as science. I understand that intelligent design is not a recognised scientific theory and I can inform the Deputy that I am not aware of any plans to include it in the second level science curricula.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, has a statutory role in advising on the curricula to be taught in schools. Following the advice of the NCCA, a revised junior certificate science syllabus, with a strong emphasis on hands-on investigative approaches and on science process skills, was examined for the first time in 2006. The NCCA, as part of the senior cycle review, is currently examining the leaving certificate biology, physics and chemistry syllabi. I understand the revised syllabi in these subjects will, in addition to a number of other changes, have an increased emphasis on science process skills and on an investigative approach to the teaching and learning of science.

Intelligent design does not feature in either the junior certificate science syllabus or in the current leaving certificate biology syllabus. Instead, students learn about the theory of evolution.

It is accepted as a core belief in many religions that God created the human race. For the majority this is not seen as being in conflict with the theory of evolution. My Department has no wish to challenge the beliefs of individuals in this area. Rather, the approach is that within science, the emphasis is to explain phenomena through a well established process of observation and experimentation under controlled conditions, and the theory of evolution is taught in this context.

There is scope for other views and beliefs to be explored in the context of religious education. It should be noted that the national syllabus in religious education developed as an optional examination subject for students of all faiths or of none, includes a specific section on religion and science. One of the aims of this is to explore the tensions between science and theology and to focus, in particular, on such issues as Darwin's theory of evolution.

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