Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to bring this matter to the attention of the Minister for Education and Skills. It was announced yesterday that coding was to be introduced into schools, which I certainly welcome as being positive news. However, I am concerned the news will raise expectations that may take some time to fulfil. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment will need time to develop a curriculum and will devise a means of integrating it with the existing subject areas. There was some talk about mathematics being the subject to carry this new coding subject but I have my concerns about that. As a child who struggles with mathematics might automatically turn away from coding, this issue must be considered. One hears a lot about curriculum overload and no doubt it will be raised by teachers. Teachers themselves will also require training and there is a major issue in respect of IT infrastructure in schools because without the fundraising of local parents, we would be in dire straits in that regard.Despite the best intentions and ambitions of the schools and the pupils, teachers cannot achieve their aims because of lack of broadband connectivity and the desperate state of hardware in their schools. Only last month, schools received their USB data devices for each teacher, containing information on the new language curriculum for junior infants up to second class. The USB keys were accompanied by a letter saying that the Department of Education and Skills was sending them out by post because teachers could not download them via the internet. This clearly demonstrates some of the issues we face with new digital skills. We certainly do not want to be left behind in terms of computer science literacy. They are key issues and key skills for the future. We must focus on rolling out coding across the educational system without delay. There is much work to be done and some realism needs to be brought to it as well. There are many issues that need to be addressed if this is going to be a success. Certainly, we all want it to be a success.