Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1112: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will be included in the modern languages in primary schools initiative. [24685/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department launched a pilot project for modern languages in primary schools in September 1998. The aims of the pilot project included the development of communication skills in four target languages which are French, German, Spanish and Italian, the fostering of positive attitudes to language learning and the diversification of the languages taught in schools. To achieve these aims in the project schools the teaching of a modern European language to pupils in fifth and sixth class was introduced.

When the project started, 270 schools were selected for participation. The project has since been renamed as the modern languages in primary schools initiative and there are now 394 participating primary schools. The number of schools which can be accepted into the initiative is limited and a waiting list system is now in place. Schools which opt out of the initiative are replaced with schools from the waiting list.