Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 51: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on whether an oral component for Irish should be introduced at the junior certificate examination; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39539/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Provision exists for an optional oral examination in Irish at junior certificate level. Where schools opt to provide such an examination, the State examinations commission issues assessment guidelines to them for use by class teachers in assessing candidates.

The optional oral Irish examination at junior certificate level is not assessed by the State examinations commission but by class teachers. Marks awarded by teachers are sent to the State examinations commission for processing without external assessment or monitoring. Candidates who take the optional oral Irish examination are marked out of 400 marks, whereas candidates who do not take it are marked out of 320 marks.