Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me to raise this issue and I thank the Minister for attending the Chamber. I am sure the Minister is familiar with the newsletter of the company involved in the modern languages in primary schools initiative. The most recent edition refers to the ending of the modern languages in primary schools initiative as a devastating blow for all of those involved in language education in primary, secondary and third level education. It was completely unexpected. Language learning has never been so much to the forefront of national politics, which is a good thing. This group of people tried to get host teacher training positions for partner colleges in France, Germany and Spain and demand always exceeds supply. The trainees in schools always benefit from the experience.

I am disappointed at the small amount of money saved by this measure. The initiative was exceptional value for money, with a small budget allowing 27,000 fifth class and sixth class pupils to benefit. The programme costs very little and the programme develops the child's language and literacy skills. The Minister is focused on literacy and numeracy and I hope he will see the link between this initiative and literacy and numeracy. The 2008 report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, is being quoted as the reason for stopping this initiative but it is also fair to point out that the NCCA is currently revising the language curriculum for primary schools. I hope it will re-examine this matter and recommend the programme's retention. Some people tell me it will cost more to wind down the scheme than to continue it.

The Minister cannot say this is a pilot project because the cap was lifted in 2007. Since then, 200 more schools have joined the scheme. Ireland is the only country in Europe, apart from Scotland, where foreign languages are not a mandatory part of the curriculum. We need this initiative more than ever. Students leaving our education system need strong literacy, numeracy, language and ICT skills. An article by Colm O'Rourke, the well-known teacher and Gaelic football commentator, refers to the PayPal announcement and other high-tech jobs. Many people talk about the need for language skills at primary level also and I hope the Minister will re-examine this.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank Deputy Kitt for raising this issue and I welcome the opportunity to clarify the position of the decision taken in budget 2012. As part of the budget 2012 decisions, the modern languages in primary schools initiative will cease at the end of the 2011-12 school year. The savings from this measure will go towards the cost of implementing the new national literacy and numeracy strategy, which is a key commitment in the programme for Government. Since becoming Minister for Education and Skills, I have spoken repeatedly about the need to raise educational standards. In terms of curriculum reform, the priorities in the period ahead are to strengthen achievement in literacy and numeracy, to implement reforms in maths, Irish and science and to progress junior cycle reforms at second level.

The modern languages in primary schools initiative was a pilot scheme involving approximately 550 schools and has been operating since 1998. It has not been possible for other schools to join the pilot project for a number of years and the way in which it operated was not capable of being rolled out to all 3,200 primary schools. The decision to end the scheme was based in part on policy advice from a 2008 report by the NCCA, which identified serious issues with curricular overload at primary level. The advice of the NCCA was that modern languages should not be part of the primary school curriculum as an additional and separate subject. The advice on curriculum overload predated the wake-up call on literacy and numeracy from the PISA results. I am taking on board that advice and I am happy that we need to focus on literacy and numeracy. The entire primary curriculum is currently being reviewed by the NCCA in the context of the national literacy and numeracy strategy. The €2.5 million in savings from this measure will go towards the cost of implementing the new national strategy, the total cost of which is approximately €19 million. The 17% of schools currently in the initiative, who have had even more time demands than others in a crowded curricular space, should as a result be better placed to deliver under the strategy.

The focus of the review will be on how best to enhance children's learning in these areas, provide a clear delineation of the learning outcomes required and integrate into the infant cycle the learning experiences from Aistear, the curriculum framework for early childhood education. At post primary level, targeted support is provided to schools to enable them to diversify language provision with a particular focus on Spanish, Japanese, Russian and Italian. Other languages taught at second level include French, German and Arabic. Participation in foreign languages, relative to other subjects, remains high.

The vast majority of students are studying two languages and are therefore developing core skills which will serve them well in future language learning over their lifespan, and there are many opportunities outside the second level system for people to resume language learning.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his reply. I referred to PayPal. Its vice president said when the jobs announcement was made that, "In the last two weeks and months I have been looking for a number of potential locations in Europe and Ireland. However, due to the rich talent and language skills of the workforce in Ireland we decided it was the best place where we wanted to do business". PayPal also encouraged those without languages and the unemployed to apply for jobs. It said it was very confident that people who had language skills would be those they would want to employ. I understand more projects are coming down the road.

I very much welcome the literacy and numeracy initiative. There was a school library grant which, I am sorry to say, the last Government did away with. I understand €2 million was involved. I would like to see the Minister reconsider the initiative. An allocation of even €1 million would provide €40,000 to every county. The great library service we have allows 15 of the same book to be lent to schools, which enables them to do projects. I criticised the former Minister for the decision. The school library service will come to a halt because books will not be replaced and more fund-raising will be required.

The expert group that reported last Tuesday on jobs, markets and opportunities stated most advertised positions were in sales and ICT and third level qualifications are required. Foreign languages, particularly German and Nordic languages, continue to be in demand. That is the most recent report I have seen. The Minister should take what it said about foreign languages on board.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I understand the concern that has been expressed by many well-intentioned people about this. We have been codding ourselves in this country for some time about the extraordinary quality of our education system. Other countries have been devoting a lot of time to reform and improving their systems. As a consequence, we have dropped much further than most people realise from a literacy ranking of fifth in the world league to seventeenth.

All of the education advice I have received over the past year and before I became Minister was that competency in literacy and numeracy are key predictors for educational outcomes as people move through formal education and into the adult career of their choice. We have to get those basic components right. The focus of attention is on that area. At a time when this country has lost its economic sovereignty and we have to reduce overall expenditure we have to make priority choices. I did not make this choice lightly and knew it would disrupt and disappointed some people, but in a world where choices have to be made I made the right choice.

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister consider the school libraries grant?

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I will.