Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 124: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the reason she did not issue the new syllabus for leaving certificate applied Gaeilge and leaving certificate foundation Gaeilge before this school year started; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this delay left teachers without a current syllabus to teach, without materials and without the facility to compose teaching and learning plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38142/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The syllabuses were issued as soon as was feasible following receipt of print ready versions. They were issued in September to all schools, and the inconvenience caused by the delay is regretted.

The revised syllabuses build heavily on the existing programmes which will be examined for the last time in 2011. The updated syllabuses make fuller reference to the potential of the print and broadcast media and of information and communications technology (ICT) generally both as authentic materials and as resources that are routine in student's lives. They also provide for an increase in the marks available for oral assessment to 40%, an arrangement which was notified to all schools in 2007 through Circular 042/2007.