Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

No, we will not reverse that decision; we will take a different course. Many schools are still operating alternative schemes to the pilot programme to which the Deputy referred.

It is a fact that learning the Irish language is compulsory in this country. It is also a fact that our students go to our own schools, go through the language course for up to 14 years and still cannot speak it fluently. It is a fact of life. The chief executive of PayPal made the point to me that 150 more people could be employed if they could have high-quality German speakers, and I do not mean just technical German but fluency in the language. My view is that we should start this process much earlier.

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