Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Could the Taoiseach clarify what he means by the modern languages programme being reviewed? We export primarily to European Union countries. For example, Germany is our biggest market for pork and France is the biggest market for Irish seafood. It is important that there is capacity built up in society in European languages. All educators accept that the earlier one gets engaged with a subject the better, particularly in preschool and primary school. The earlier we introduce children to languages, the better the prospect of having ever greater numbers capable and competent in those languages by the time they come out of third level. Bord Bia, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland are looking for persons versed in these languages, who can speak them competently, with a view to advancing the sale of Irish products and services, and also winning investment into the country.

It defies logic that one would end the programme summarily as the Government has done. It makes no logical sense whatsoever for us, as an outgoing global economy and society that wants to cherish a global dynamic in terms of our engagement with the wider world. I ask the Taoiseach to review that Government decision. The NCCA can recommend various actions. We need not accept them all of the time. This programme was doing well for ten years and the evaluations of the programme were positive.

It would be a different matter if the professional evaluations of the programme were negative and indicated it had no impact, but they were, in fact, very positive. Now is the time to double up on our engagement with modern European languages and to include other languages such as Mandarin. I fully subscribe to that.

My final question relates to the website, www.eumatters.ie. The Taoiseach is correct in saying it was established after the referendum on the Lisbon treaty, the reason being to create a permanent infrastructure for the Government, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in particular, to communicate European matters to citizens. These matters were not only to do with treaties but also non-treaty issues - the general activity that happens at European level. It was born out of a perception, based on EU barometers over time, that citizens were becoming alienated from Europe or less engaged with it as a result of such issues as telephone roaming charges, agricultural practices or whatever and that there was an ongoing need to provide information on what was happening in the EU. If Departments are falling down in systematically inputting this type of information, that is an administrative issue that must be corrected, resourced and enhanced. Simply closing the website is not the correct answer. We are seeing the negative dividends of this day by day in terms of people's interactions with and understanding of Europe and where it is heading into the future.

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