Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

Questions Nos. 1 and 2 are in the name of my colleague, Deputy Seán Crowe, the Sinn Féin spokesman on education. These questions were put to the Minister for Education and Skills but, for some reason that is beyond me, they were transferred to the Taoiseach. The reason Deputy Crowe tabled these questions is that he is concerned by the budget announcement of the ending of the modern languages initiative in primary schools. I entirely accept the Taoiseach's statement that he is very much in favour of modern languages. It struck me as I was preparing for this session that just last week we discussed in this House the importance of building trade links. Good work is being done in regard to China and, potentially, other parts of the world, including Vietnam and elsewhere in Asia. We are constantly discussing the importance of learning modern languages. Of the 1,000 jobs to be created by PayPal in Dundalk - a very welcome announcement - 50% will require applicants to have a working knowledge of an additional language.

In this context, setting aside the modern languages initiative makes no sense. Some 545 schools participated in the scheme, with pupils developing a very positive attitude towards language learning. The decision to cease funding for the initiative in the last budget was a retrograde step. France is our fifth largest trading partner, for instance, yet we are closing the opportunity for young people to learn French, as well as German, Spanish, Italian and Mandarin. I was with a delegation last week, one member of which was asked whether he had a working knowledge of Arabic. The Taoiseach knows better than I that in our globalised world it is no longer the exception but a necessity that people should have language skills.

I welcome the Taoiseach's indication this decision will be reviewed, but why was it taken in the first place? There is no suggestion the initiative was not successful and it is clearly a vital part of our efforts to come out of recession. What is the justification for introducing a new pilot scheme when what is in place is working? Although the Taoiseach has given a full answer, I ask him to indicate why a scheme that was working was terminated and replaced by something which seems, with all respect to the Blue Star programme, to be simply giving up on the opportunity for young people to learn modern languages.

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