Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I welcomed the NCCA report when it was published both through a press release and at the Oireachtas committee on education. I compliment Professor Tom Collins, Anne Looney and their colleagues in the NCCA for the large amount of work they have carried out in the review since it was launched in 2009.

I welcome the Minister indicating to Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan that he would meet the teaching associations for history and geography. All Members are receiving concerns from teachers, not alone of history and geography, but other subjects. While I appreciate the Minister has many commitments, it would be all the better if these meetings could take place as early as possible.

The NCCA report contains a framework for the new junior certificate which does not contain geography or history as core curriculum subjects. This is a concern for teachers of these subjects. A better explanation for the reasons behind this would be useful.

The cap on subjects taken for the junior certificate examination can be introduced on a voluntary basis from the next school year. Before the mandatory cap is introduced in 2014, will the Department examine participation levels in different subjects? If a particular pattern or decline in subject participation emerges which is not good from an education point of view, it might allow a chance to redress the problem before the mandatory cap comes in.

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