Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 54: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a full assessment of the teaching of Irish in primary and secondary schools will take place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13328/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The recent report of the Irish Language Commissioner highlighted the fact that despite appreciable time devoted to Irish in the school system, many students emerge from primary and post-primary education without achieving a reasonable command of the language. Particular concerns were raised about students' command of the spoken language.

While I accept that the standard of oral Irish in particular of many of our young people is not as it should be, it is important to note that the Department of Education and Science has made significant efforts in recent years to improve standards in the teaching and learning of Irish in our schools. The revised Irish language programme at primary level places a strong emphasis on oral Irish. This programme, implemented in all schools since September 2003, and supported by extensive in-service training by the primary curriculum support programme, should bring significant improvement to the standard of spoken Irish over time. This development at primary level complemented similar curricular changes at second level where syllabus reform is ongoing.

Significant improvements are being made in the provision of materials and resources for the teaching of Irish. An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta has been established to progress this area and to provide support services for schools. Funding has been provided to an chomhairle to support this task and I know this is an area that will need further work. Marino Institute of Education now provides Irish courses at different levels for teachers and an enhanced range of supports for those studying for the scrúdú le h-aghaidh cailíochta sa ghaeilge has been put in place. My Department is currently engaged in a number of evaluation activities relating to the teaching and learning of Irish. Also, at the request of my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is carrying out a review of languages in the post-primary curriculum, including Irish. I am confident those reports will both inform us of good practice within the system and point to areas requiring improvement.

The inspectorate of my Department, on foot of a major review of Irish language policies carried out in the Department last year, has recently prepared an internal report for policy discussion regarding areas where further improvements could be made. The Coimisinéir Teanga, along with other interest groups, contributed to that process. I have also recently met An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta to discuss further improvements that could be made to support schools in improving the teaching and learning of Irish and to promote high quality education through the medium of Irish.

It is important to note that the issue of promoting the Irish language is not one that can be advanced by schools alone. Societal attitudes to the Irish language certainly impact on students' desires to learn it.

This Government has demonstrated a clear commitment to promoting our national language. It is hoped the continuing initiatives in education along with the increased emphasis on the use of Irish in the Official Languages Act will create a positive climate whereby students will realise the value of learning our native language in time and language competence will prosper as a consequence.

Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Does the Minister agree that societal attitudes can be coloured by the school experience of students in many cases? Does the Minister accept that Irish is not being taught in a relevant and applied way, particularly at second level, and that it does not reflect the modern needs of the language? Is the Minister aware of the situation of students learning off reams of passages for oral examinations without having a real understanding of the spoken language itself? Will the Minister carry out a comprehensive and impartial review of all aspects of Irish learning and teaching as recommended by the commission?

I will return to Deputy O'Sullivan's point. Three out of every ten leaving certificate students attempted the honours Irish paper in 2003 and only 30% of this number were young men. Does the Minister believe there is an impact on primary teaching in light of these statistics? Requiring an honours qualification lessens the numbers that can go into this field unlike the situation with English and mathematics. Has the Minister considered proposals being mooted in terms of changing the mandatory nature of the subject after leaving certificate level?

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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We need more men.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I have no plans to change the mandatory nature as it is important that people should learn their native language at all levels of the education system. On the matter of the overall environment, Institiúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann and other language groups have made it clear that the learning of a second language in school cannot flourish in the absence of environmental supports. As any Irish speaker knows, one loses the language once one leaves the realm of always using it. Significant progress has been made in the primary school curriculum. It is an enjoyable curriculum based on oral Irish and much emphasis is placed on the positive step of speaking and listening to the language.

The inspectorate is evaluating the teaching and learning of Irish at junior certificate level in the current academic year. The inspectorate is examining a cross-sample and I look forward to its findings because it is examining the curriculum, the timetabling and the whole school support system. Speaking as an iar-múinteoir Gaeilge, there should be more emphasis on oral Irish at second level, in particular approaching the leaving certificate examination, as it is too heavily weighted on literature rather than on the language itself considering we are encouraging people to go to the Gaeltacht. There are issues that can make a difference - having materials that people can use, such as the excellent material now available for junior classes for example. The finances going into this will ensure it is improved. Having téacs leabhar for the gaeilscoileanna is another important issue.

A teacher will teach Irish as a basic language that is a part of the school day and it is, therefore, important to have a proficiency. There is a sizable difference between the honours and pass Irish levels in the leaving certificate. I am not sure that someone with a pass Irish qualification would be competent to teach it as a major subject throughout primary school. I do not know whether this is affecting the male in-take but I will examine the issue.

The figures the Deputy has raised are quite interesting. Our inspectorate has examined the primary school and junior certificate curricula. The inspectorate examined 50 schools' reports in 2002 and stated that, while the teaching of Irish was good in approximately half the schools, there are concerns about the low levels of language confidence achieved by many second level pupils. There is also a concern that Irish is not being taught through Irish at this level, and this is affecting the way people learn it.

As everyone knows, I would like to keep talking about Irish.