James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 442: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will introduce a leaving certificate politics and law course as a natural follow-on to the junior certificate CSPE programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24795/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Report of the Task Force on Active Citizenship includes a recommendation on the development of a senior cycle programme on citizenship for schools. Since 2005 the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been involved in an intensive phase of planning and development in key areas of senior cycle. As part of this, the development of a new subject "Politics and Society" is under way, which is proposed as an optional examinable full subject. A background paper on Social and Political Education in Senior Cycle was published for consultation, and the report on the consultation was completed in May 2007. Both reports are available on the Council's website at www.ncca.ie. Development work is continuing. However, I have not as yet received any formal proposals in the matter from the Council.

It should be noted that education for citizenship is covered extensively in the curriculum for primary schools as part of Social Personal and Health Education, and History, Geography and Science. At second level, these themes are continued, and have a major emphasis in Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and in the examinable subject of Civic Social and Political Education (CSPE) at junior cycle. Both SPHE and CSPE are mandatory for all pupils.

CSPE includes provision for an innovative action project which is assessed as part of the Junior Certificate examination. The key aim of the action project is to give students a practical experience of active citizenship. This includes fostering a sense of belonging and awareness of social inclusion and justice issues, a capacity to gain access to information and structures relating to the society in which they live, and an ability and confidence to participate in democratic society. Students choose a theme for their action project which is designed around the skills of identification and awareness of a social issue, planning, research, analysis and evaluation, reporting and engaging in joint action which develop social and political skills. These themes are further strengthened through the Young Social Innovators programme and Gaisce, the President's award, Open, a social enterprise module sponsored by the Credit Union of Ireland, in Search of Europe, St Vincent de Paul Education Pack etc., which are offered as modules in the Transition Year Programme. Within the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme, all students follow a compulsory module in Social Education.