Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on criticisms of his Department's circular 0044/2007 in respect of the teaching of English in gaelscoileanna; and his further views on the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment's proposals regarding language and literacy in Irish-medium primary schools. [19559/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Circular 044/2007, issued in July 2007, requires all schools to provide the minimum recommended tuition in English in Irish medium primary schools, beginning no later than the start of the second term in Junior Infants. The revised primary curriculum was launched in 1999 after extensive consultation with the partners in education. Page 27 in the Introduction to the Curriculum states "It is a particular feature of Irish primary education that children, from the beginning of schooling, have experience of language learning in two languages."

Fundamentally this issue is about access by all children to the full national curriculum. My Department's policy in this area, which has been set out in replies to Parliamentary Questions, is that all schools, including Irish medium schools, should provide the minimum recommended instruction time in English in the infant classes of 2.5 hours per week. There are compelling public policy reasons why an "a la carte" approach to curricular provision should not be encouraged. The current debate is about availability of English at the early stages of primary schooling but one could readily see why similar arguments could be advanced in relation to the required provision of other areas of the curriculum. It is also quite likely that delaying the introduction of English would have the effect of deterring the enrolment of disadvantaged and special needs pupils which would run counter to the State's policy of maximum inclusion.

The question of deferring a decision was considered in relation to this matter pending a research project to ascertain the impact on student performance of various models of immersion education. Such research is, in any event, likely to be inconclusive, given the many variables (socio economic 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 it would be inappropriate to base a decision purely on research or indeed to delay a decision pending any such research. The issue of the circular is currently subject to Judicial Review. In addition, my Department has undertaken a consultation process, with a deadline for feedback of 31 May, on proposals to prescribe the primary curriculum by regulation.