James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. It is recognised that the curriculum at primary and post-primary is intended to be for all learners from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, socioeconomic background, race or creed. It aims to foster inclusivity where equality and diversity are promoted. Our education system, especially our schools, throughout the country supports, encourages and reflects diversity among our students, including with regard to language. The diverse nature of our society means that many of our schools have children and young people whose mother tongue is neither English nor Irish and whose home language is different from the language of instruction of the school. These children and young people, including but certainly not limited to those from Ukraine, may have particular language learning needs, which are referred to as EAL needs.

In the context of State examinations specifically, the State Examinations Commission, SEC, has responsibility for the operation, delivery and development of State examinations. As part of its remit, the SEC provides a scheme of reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations, RACE, to support students with a complex variety of special educational needs. The focus of the scheme is on removing barriers to access while retaining the need to assess the same underlying skills and competencies as are assessed for all other students and to apply the same standards of achievement as apply to all other candidates. The scheme provides accommodations for students with a variety of complex special educational needs, including learning difficulties and permanent or temporary physical, visual, hearing, medical, sensory, emotional, behavioural or other conditions.

The provision of accommodations for students for whom English is an additional language and who otherwise have no special educational needs is the use of bilingual dictionaries. These are permitted by the SEC in State examinations other than in cases where examinations are in the candidate’s first language - a student whose first language is French will not be permitted to use the dictionary in the French examination - a language closely related to the candidate's first language, English or Irish. Given that it is the language being tested, allowing candidates to use dictionaries in these subjects would compromise the fundamental principle of fair assessment for certification. Bilingual translation dictionaries between the student's first language and English or Irish, without explanation of terms or definitions, are permitted. However, it is important to say that electronic bilingual dictionaries, translators, word lists or glossaries are not permitted. Again, this is to ensure fairness for all students as assessed by the SEC.

With regard to children and young people from Ukraine in our schools, the Department of Education is supporting schools in responses to these children and young people, especially through the regional education and language teams, REALT, across the country. In addition, the wide array of resources available includes information relating to free digital tools, including apps that can assist with text and voice translation, and the allocation of specialist resources to schools that take account of the needs of pupils, including, where appropriate, EAL.

The Deputy may also wish to note that in the leaving certificate examination Ukrainian, as a non-curricular language, is being developed by the SEC. The first examination will be available for students sitting the leaving certificate in June 2025.

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