Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat, a Cheann Comhairle. Our appetite to learn more about our past has grown since the decade of centenaries. A new interest has been awoken in people of all ages across the country in the struggle for Home Rule, the 1913 Lockout, the tens of thousands of Irish people who marched off to fight in the First World War, the events of Easter 1916 and the aftermath that led to the War of Independence and the Civil War. Deputies will be well aware of my strong interest in this matter, and how I feel that history offers an important window on our past. I also know from the many conversations that I have had over the past year with Oireachtas Members from all political shades across the Dáil and Seanad that I am not alone in this viewpoint.

I thank the Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan, an Independent Member, who helped organise an initial meeting with Deirdre Mac Mathúna and Mary O Dubháin of the History Teachers' Association of Ireland who are in attendance here this evening. Bhí Sean Delappe ag an chruinniú céanna ag an am sin. Tugaim aitheantas chuige, agus gabhaim buíochas leis, as an chomhairle agus as an eolas a tugadh dom.

It is vital that we check in the rear-view mirror from time to time, so that we can learn how to avoid the mistakes of the past. I strongly believe that an understanding of history is vitally important for future generations, and failure to understand the past, or to be misled about it, is a central factor in current controversies such as Brexit and rise of paranoid nationalism across the globe. There is a danger that history can be misused to provide a justification for words and actions that would otherwise be unacceptable.

In November of last year I asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, to carry out a review of the optional nature of history under the new framework for junior cycle. I also asked the NCCA to identify how we can best promote the study of history in our schools. Around this time I met a young man from St Michael's college in Enniskillen at a cross-Border event in Ballyshannon. He approached me with one question: "Why have you downgraded history in your schools?

The significance of this was not lost on me. This came from a fellow Ulsterman from a town still coming to terms with the IRA’s 1987 Remembrance Day bombing and who was born after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

I received the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment's advisory report in July of this year. It is a detailed analysis and I am deeply grateful to the council for the work it has done. I gave careful consideration to the report, as well as taking on board the views of many people I meet every day who dedicate their lives and careers to education and to nurturing the minds of young people. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment report, published today, makes it clear that the new history specification under the framework for junior cycle offers a much better way to teach and learn history than in the past. The approach underpinning the framework allows for new ways of learning and a broader range of skills to be properly assessed. It can make the subject more engaging for young people and will allow it to move beyond chalk and talk. I also acknowledge the members of the Men’s Shed I met in Limerick last year who told me how involved they were with junior certificate students in Limerick. The opportunity to engage at local level, be it through historical societies or Men’s Sheds, is good. My desire is for all students to learn about history and to achieve this without losing the good progress made to date on the reform of the junior cycle. While I am aware the subject was due be reviewed in two years' time, I am keen to do something now.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment report, along with the wider public debate and the discussions I have had on the issue, led me to believe that it is not enough just to speak about history at junior cycle. We must look at promoting an interest in history at primary level where the love of a subject is born, as well as at senior level and beyond where the real in-depth study of any subject takes place. Having history as an optional subject in junior cycle puts this in doubt. Every student should be learning history. Exactly what form that takes and how that is taught will be determined in the coming months.

The education system is responsive and progressive enough to allow for the junior cycle framework to be structured in such a way for history to have a special core status. Accordingly, I have requested history is given this special core status. I will be requesting the support of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in working out how best this can be achieved. I also asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment last November, as part of its work, to identify measures to promote the study of history at both primary and post-primary levels.

The report contains some useful recommendations in this regard and I am keen to take these forward over the coming months. I have already expressed the need for a young historian competition to be developed. I am seeking the support of the education partners with others to establish this, along with a range of other initiatives, including introducing more supports to allow more schools visit historic sites such as Glasnevin Cemetery, Islandbridge, Béal na mBláth or Rathmullan, site of the Flight of the Earls in 1607. One place where I saw the full benefit of students seeing their past was in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. There they are encouraged to see the graves of soldiers from every war in which the US fought and the Kennedy family plot. It leaves a visual and emotional impact on young people.

We also have an obligation to teach our young people about the dark side of our history, including the mistreatment of women, including those confined to Magdalen laundries, our State’s discrimination against those who did not fit in because they were Travellers, gay, non-religious or unionist, as well as the shameful physical and sexual abuse of children and vulnerable adults and the cover-ups. Knowledge of how we have brought our planet to a tipping point and plunged our climate into crisis may hold the key to finding a solution. This is a subject that excites the interest of an entire generation of young people and we cannot ignore it. In fact, we have a duty to engage with it.

Our island’s journey from conflict to peace is a turbulent one that must be understood. An entire generation has grown up now in an Ireland at peace. We must ensure this generation knows the truth about the conflict and the road to peace to ensure it is not misled into believing the lies of sinister groups thirsting for a return to the violence of the past. During these important weeks ahead, it is important to remind ourselves that the peace achieved these past 21 years is still fragile, in its infancy and one we have a duty to take care of.

As someone who returned to learning our language as an adult, I was captivated by the rich and vibrant history of our language and how it has helped shape our history and the history of the spoken word in many countries. Ar an ábhar sin, tugaim aitheantas do na daoine, eagraíochtaí agus dreamanna uilig atá ag coimeád ár dteanga, ár gcultúr, agus ár n-oidhreacht beo. Dá mbeadh aon athrú eile maidir leis an bealach ina múintear an stair, bheadh an teanga Gaeilge ceangailte leis an ábhar sin.

By seeking special core status for history and the associated promotion, my aim is to achieve three ultimate goals, namely, to increase the number of history students at senior cycle, to see every junior cycle student learn about history and to awaken a love of history at primary level. My ambition is to guarantee future generations of well-informed, active citizens, including future Deputies and Ministers, who understand the importance of history in shaping the future.

Gabhaím buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle agus leis an Teach fá choinne na díospóireachta anocht. Tugaim aitheantas d'achan duine as an tiomantas tras-pháirtí. Tugaim aitheantas do ceannairí na páirtithe ach go háirithe fá choinne an tiomantais i leith na rudaí sin. Táim ag dúil go mór leis an díospóireacht anocht.

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