Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 392: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the discussions that have taken place within her Department and between her Department and the Department of Transport regarding the possibility of including motoring skills on the secondary school system; the outcome of those discussions; the timetable for delivery of this measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36289/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The question of introducing a road safety and driver education syllabus into schools has been examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, on foot of a report from a task group set up in 2000, which included representatives of the Departments of Education and Science and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the National Safety Council, the Garda, the Irish Insurance Federation, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, Rosary College, Crumlin, the CCEA Northern Ireland and the NCCA. The NCCA also commissioned a study on driver education in post-primary schools from Dr. Ray Fuller of Trinity College Dublin.

The NCCA, whose role is to advise the Minister for Education and Science on curriculum and assessment issues, recommended that road safety be addressed within the context of social, personal and health education, SPHE, and that driver education, and specifically learning to drive for pupils aged 17, should not become part of the school curriculum. The NCCA noted this concurred with the practice in other jurisdictions.

At the beginning of the 2001-02 school year the National Safety Council, with assistance from my Department, distributed copies of Staying Alive — a road safety resource for Transition Year and the Senior Cycle — to all second level schools. This pack contained a wide range of learning opportunities and activities on topics such as personal responsibility and decision-making, environmental issues and risks and rules for road users. A CD-ROM with additional material downloaded from the Internet was included in the pack along with copies of the Rules of the Road. In the preparation of the staying alive resources material, views were sought from a range of organisations with interests in the promotion of road safety. Prior to its issue to second level schools, the material was piloted in 20 schools and the response from teachers in those schools was positive.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 393: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, classical studies is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36306/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 394: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, ancient Greek is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36315/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, Latin is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36316/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, English is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36317/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 401: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, Hebrew studies is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36352/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 402: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, French is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels. [36353/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, German is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36354/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 404: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, Italian is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36355/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 405: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, Spanish is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36356/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 406: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, history is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36357/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 407: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, geography is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36358/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 408: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, mathematics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36359/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 409: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, applied mathematics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36360/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 410: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, physics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36361/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 411: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, chemistry is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36362/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 412: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, physics and chemistry are optional subjects for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36363/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 413: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, agricultural science is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36364/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 414: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, biology is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36365/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 415: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, agricultural economics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36366/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 416: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, engineering is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels. [36367/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, technical drawing is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36368/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 418: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, construction studies is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36369/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 419: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, home economics — scientific and social — is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36370/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, accounting is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36371/05]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department's rules and programme for secondary schools, business is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36372/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 393 to 396, inclusive, and Questions Nos. 401 to 421, inclusive, together.

In accordance with the rules and programme for secondary schools, the approved course for the established leaving certificate must include Irish and not less than four of the examination subjects listed, all of which are optional: classical studies; ancient Greek; Latin; English; Hebrew studies; French; German; Italian; Spanish; history; geography; mathematics; applied mathematics; physics; chemistry; physics and chemistry; agricultural science; biology; agricultural economics; engineering; technical drawing; construction studies; home economics — scientific and social; accounting; business; economics; art, including crafts; music; Russian; Arabic; Japanese; and religious education.

Rule 46 of the rules and programme for secondary schools and in my Department's circular M10/94 makes provision for exemption from the study of Irish in limited special circumstances. In the established leaving certificate examination, separate higher, ordinary and foundation level papers are set in the case of the subjects Irish and mathematics. In the case of the other subjects papers are set at both ordinary and higher levels. The subject economic history has been discontinued. It was examined for the last time in the leaving certificate in June 2005.