Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We had a very useful debate in the Seanad on the role of history and I think there was unanimity around the motion passed. The position is that we are developing much better curricula in history and it is part of the junior cycle reforms. At present, compulsory history only applies in voluntary secondary schools - 52% of schools - but 90% of pupils take it up. One of the problems is that they fall away very rapidly thereafter so the junior cycle curriculum has not been a satisfactory curriculum and is being reformed. It is not very different from what it was when I was in school and is based on trying to retain huge volumes of dates and events, which is not the true type of history instruction we need. We should be equipping our young people to have the critical skills to which Deputy Burton referred. We had a very good debate and are reforming the curriculum and it will be very good for history in Ireland.

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