Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 158: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce politics as a new leaving certificate subject; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10728/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been progressing the development of a new subject "Politics and Society", which is proposed as an optional examinable full subject in the Leaving Certificate. A draft syllabus has been developed by the Council and was published for consultation. The syllabus is currently being revised in the light of the feedback. After this process has been completed, the Council's formal proposals on the matter will be submitted to me, and will be considered in the light of overall system needs and priorities.

It should be noted that education for citizenship is covered extensively in the curriculum for primary schools as part of Social Personal and Health Education, and History, Geography and Science. At second level, these themes are continued, and Civic Social and Political Education is a mandatory subject for all pupils in the junior cycle. It is examined in the Junior Certificate by means of a written terminal examination and an innovative action project which is designed to give students a practical experience of active citizenship.