Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Senator D'Arcy, but this will be lost. It will be destroyed, because the race for points has already resulted in an enormous drop in the number who, having studied history at junior certificate level, continue to study it at leaving certificate level. My main concern is not trying to score political points; it is that we, in this of all countries, should nurture, promote and enhance an historical perspective and not deny a present and future generation the historical perspective of how our State was formed, 800 years of colonialism, what has shaped us as a nation today and our sense of identity. This is what history brings. It brings a sense of identity and who one is in the world. I cannot for the life of me understand why we are downgrading it, and I am waiting for justification, because this is what will happen. Giving autonomy will not mean that people continue to study history. It is a shameful act by the Government. I would say the same if it was my party in government trying to do the same thing.

In England history was removed as a compulsory subject, but now people want to reintroduce it. Why? Society there is far more advanced multiculturally than we are, and many people who feel English or British or who have an awareness of identity want to assert this identity in an historical context. They want to be able to point to where they started and who they are in the world today. Irish people have a very proud sense of our identity. This has been nurtured by teachers such as Senator D'Arcy and by previous generations, notwithstanding the ending of Irish history in 1921. They brought their own perspective of living history at primary level, following through to secondary level, and nurtured an affection for history. That is why 90% of second-level students continue to take it even though it is not mandatory. I wish and hope that the Government can somehow reflect on this. Historians, not least Professor Diarmaid Ferriter, who spoke to the committee, said it was ironic that in the decade of commemorations the Government was downgrading history as a subject in our schools.