Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I do not know why there is such concern in the history and geography teaching communities about a fall-off in the study of their subjects. The take-up in the junior certificate examination this year was 90.2% for history and 91.5% for geography, making them the fifth and fourth most popular subjects respectively. While in the leaving certificate the percentages differ due to a wider range of subject choice, they were ninth and fifth respectively in popularity.

History is far more than just the recitation of facts. The analytical understanding why certain events occurred is a critical competent of the subject and is embedded in some of the skills we want to see emerge in the junior cycle reforms. As we are entering into discussions with the education partners, I would be quite happy to meet with various stakeholders including the two associations of subject teachers to which Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan referred.

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