Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1242: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the recent statistics published by Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, regarding the learning of foreign languages in secondary schools (details supplied); his views on the poor showing of Ireland, in which 18.8% of students here do not study any foreign language compared to an EU average of 6.4%, when only 8.2% of students here study two foreign languages compared to an EU average of 60.1%; his strategy to ensure Ireland reach the European average; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33851/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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81.2% of second level pupils study three languages, Irish, English and a continental language, to completion of upper second level, and over 70% of schools offer two foreign languages or more. The languages available as part of the post primary curriculum in schools include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese and Arabic. The post primary language initiative provides supports to encourage a diversification of language provision in schools and to encourage the take up of languages other than French.

It is important that students experience a broad and balanced education which prepares them for economic and social participation, for democratic citizenship and lifelong learning. Of necessity this requires that students have to juggle priorities in making decisions on subject choice. Curricular choice is important in ensuring that young people are offered a balanced range of subjects in keeping with their interests and abilities, and that they are motivated to achieve success in learning and remain in school to completion of upper second level education.

The study shows that English is the most widely studied language in upper second level education across the EU other than their mother tongue. The fact that all Irish people speak English, often referred to as the new lingua franca, can be a disincentive to the learning of other languages, just as in other European Member States it is often difficult to promote the learning of languages other than English.