Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, as stated in her reply to Question No. 541 of 25 October 2005, she and her Department recognise fully the value of immersion education; and the reason same is not reflected or included in the current primary schools curriculum. [38338/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The primary school curriculum 1999, which was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is integrated, child-centred and aims to meet the needs of all children in all schools. The curricula for Gaeilge and English were developed with the assistance of committees whose members represented a wide range of expertise, thus ensuring that the work was informed by prevailing educational thinking and the most innovative and effective pedagogical practice.

The curriculum offers a clear and structured national framework that provides for a broad and balanced education for all pupils. It recognises that each school is a unique organisation, with a distinctive character, tradition and culture and a particular set of values and priorities. Notwithstanding this, it is built on the right of all children, from the beginning of schooling, to experience language learning in both English and Gaeilge, our two official languages.

Within the curriculum for Irish, cognisance is taken of the particular requirements of Gaeltacht schools and scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge. This involves the provision of additional material for schools where Irish is the first language, that is, the medium of instruction and communication. Schools with different needs with regard to the Irish language are facilitated within the framework.

There is one curriculum for English for all schools. This defines the broad objectives to be achieved and outlines the content for each of the four levels: infant classes, first and second classes, third and fourth classes, and fifth and sixth classes. The curriculum provides suggested minimum weekly times for instruction in each curriculum area to afford schools flexibility in their planning. However, the achievement of the curriculum objectives in every curriculum area at each of the four levels of primary schooling is an over-riding requirement of all schools.

Within the framework of the curriculum as outlined above, my Department fully recognises the value of immersion education and is committed to providing a range of supports for the increasing number of schools that are offering education through the medium of Irish.