Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Thomas Byrne.

I speak from the perspective of somebody who did not have the opportunity to learn history at leaving certificate level but went on to take it up in college for my degree. The world that was opened to me by taking up history was incredible, not only in terms of learning about this country and its place in the world but also in learning about inequalities in the world, human rights violations, power and people. These are the worlds that are opened to us when we have the opportunity to study history and learn more.

As mayor of Kildare, I became chair of the decade of commemorations committee and again the world opened to me, not only in terms of learning about my home county of Kildare but also in learning about where this country was 100 years ago. That was around the time talk about history being dropped from the junior certificate entered the ether. I thought it was incredibly ironic that we would even consider that possibility just as we were learning more about what happened 100 years ago and how formative those events were for the nation. When one considers the popularity of the television programme "Who do you think you are?", I hear people talking about individuals, some of whom are well known, who feature on that series. We get to learn much more about the history of our country and the world.

As we discuss Brexit and the Good Friday Agreement and think about our young people who are sitting State examinations, both at junior certificate and leaving certificate, and were not born when the agreement was signed, we must realise how important history is to us. When President Higgins spoke of his "deep and profound concern" about history being demoted, he also spoke about history being the "inheritance of all our people" because we stand on the shoulders of those who went before us. At a time of fake news and global turmoil, our young people need to have the skills they acquire through learning history, including perspective, empathy and wisdom about what went on before us. We need to have a better understanding of the world, its traditions and the decisions that were made.

I welcome that the Minister has announced that history is to be given special status at junior cycle but, as Deputy Thomas Byrne stated, we need further clarity about the nature of this special status. I am glad that while the Government of which he is a member stated that history would be demoted, the Minister has shown the courage of his convictions by saying that decision was wrong and the position of history in the curriculum will be restored.

See this speech in context