Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his plans for the inclusion of dance as a subject on the secondary school curriculum; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a lot of young people learn dance as a recreational activity; his plans to reform the junior certificate syllabus away from its rote learning and exam centric focus; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the recognition of dance within the curriculum would help its growth as an art form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40441/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Dance is included in the strands in the Physical Education curriculum in primary and post primary schools. In addition, students may choose Dance as one of the courses available within the Arts component of the Leaving Certificate Applied programme (LCA). The LCA is taken by some 7% of the student cohort and a maximum of 4 credits from a total of 200 credits in the assessment of the LCA is available for the Dance component. The LCA does not provide for direct entry into higher education, but students may progress to Post Leaving Certificate courses and from there to higher education.

My Department is faced with an extensive range of competing needs for investment in education, ranging from addressing educational disadvantage, inclusion of pupils with special needs and newcomer students, meeting the demands of a growing population, strengthening the mathematical, science, and technology aspects of provision, enhancing the professional development of teachers, investing in research and development and promoting second chance learning. Investment in mainstreaming of dance education as an examinable option within the Junior and Leaving Certificate, other than the LCA, is not a priority at the current time.

I am aware of the issues which have been highlighted in regard to reform of the Junior Certificate and I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to review this area. The focus of the review will be on entirety of the junior cycle experience, on what is taught and learned and on the teaching and learning and assessment approaches. The junior cycle should provide for a seamless continuum from primary level, extend and deepen students' skill and competencies in a broad and balanced curriculum that includes a range of subjects, and provide a practical orientation that will engage students and enable less academically orientated students to experience success.