Deirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will adopt the recommendations of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment that research is carried out here on the question of language and literacy in Irish medium schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17244/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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This issue relates to the impact of providing an immersion model of education in Irish medium schools under which no English is taught for a significant part of the infant cycle. The NCCA indicated that the research available was not adequate to come to firm recommendations applicable in the Irish context, and accordingly recommended that research be undertaken on a range of models, with different Irish medium schools taking different start dates for the introduction of English. The question of deferring a decision in relation to this matter pending a research project to ascertain the impact on student performance of various models of immersion education was considered. Such research would take a considerable time to complete, and is likely to be inconclusive, given the many variables (socioeconomic status, school practice, variations in first language at home of students etc) that are at play here. In any event, research will, by its nature, focus on but one subset (learning impact) of what is a significantly wider public policy matter and for that reason I did not consider it appropriate to delay a decision pending any such research.

It is a requirement in all schools that all subjects of the curriculum are taught to all class groups. In the Introduction to the Primary Curriculum (page 27) it is stated that "It is a particular feature of Irish primary education that children, from the beginning of schooling, have experience of language learning in two languages." It is important that all children have access to a balanced education and benefit from the full curriculum at the earliest possible stage. Oral language development plays a critically important role in early learning and I believe it is important to ensure that tuition in both Irish and English is provided for children in the infant cycle. Accordingly, circular 044/2007 issued in July last to schools requiring Irish medium schools to provide the minimum recommended tuition in English, of least 2.5 hours per week, for the infant classes with a shorter day (and 3.5 hours per week for those attending for the full day) with effect from no later than the start of the second term in junior infants. This provides that between 88% and 90% of the overall provision in such schools is through the medium of Irish, with all subjects being taught through Irish, except English.