Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I thank Senator Mooney for raising this matter. Education has an important role to play in the economic recovery of this country. I, therefore, welcome this debate on how the education system can contribute most effectively to this recovery. There is considerable investment by the Department in language provision. At primary level, the Department's policy, as detailed in the Government's National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy 2011, is that pupils will learn two languages, English and Irish. At junior cycle, as well as English and Irish, the other languages available include French, German, Spanish and Italian. There are many opportunities within the transition year for different language experiences. At senior cycle, the languages available include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Arabic, as well as English and Irish.

The State Examinations Commission also provides examinations in a range of other European Union languages. For the 2012 leaving certificate examination there were 1,495 entries for 16 such European languages. Almost 12% of our post-primary students and the general population are of nationalities other than Irish. Many of them have a mother tongue that is not English. These individuals represent a potential local resource for employers to draw upon.

There are no plans in the current budgetary circumstances to extend the range of languages available. However, a number of developments are in progress which should help to ensure greater coherence in language teaching, including foreign language teaching. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is developing an integrated language curriculum for primary schools in the context of the national literacy and numeracy strategy. While the focus of this curriculum will be on English and Irish, the integrated approach should help children to transfer skills acquired in one language to other languages and so establish a sound foundation for the learning of a foreign language in post-primary school.

As part of junior cycle reform, the option of school developed short courses will enable schools to provide additional languages, if they so choose. At senior cycle, revised syllabuses for French, Spanish, German and Italian are expected to be finalised during the 2012-13 school year, following a process of consultation with relevant parties. At third level, students have access to a wide range of foreign language courses which can be taken as core subjects or in combination with a range of other disciplines. In addition, almost 150 new part-time higher education places on foreign language courses have been made available under Springboard 2012.

The supply of foreign language skills was addressed in a report published by Forfás and the expert group on future skills needs last month. The report highlights the important role that private sector employers can play in communicating the message that foreign language proficiency and cultural awareness are essential skillsets for future rewarding employment opportunities. I, therefore, welcome the recent contributions from those directly involved in generating employment opportunities to the debate on how the education system can support job growth and economic recovery.

To respond to the points made by Senator Mooney on the unemployed, the Senator is correct that proficiency in a foreign language seriously enhances an individual's ability to return to employment. For this reason, we are providing third level foreign language courses under Springboard 2012, which will get under way in September. These courses are available free of charge to people who are unemployed who may retain their unemployment support payments while participating in the courses.

Senator Mooney also referred to former workers in the TalkTalk company in Waterford. I will meet some of the workers in question on Monday next when I visit Waterford to assess how well the European Globalisation Fund support mechanisms are assisting them. People who have been made redundant by TalkTalk or other companies may assess what types of training supports they may need and use a training support grant to tailor a suite of support services or training opportunities that responds to their specific needs and assists them in the journey back to work.