Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the future of the Irish language as a subject for both the leaving certificate and junior certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36426/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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This Government is committed to supporting the overall thrust of 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, and to the delivery of the goals and targets proposed. As part of this, a thorough reform of the Irish curriculum and the way Irish is taught at primary and second level will be undertaken. The priority is to take steps to improve the quality and effectiveness of the teaching of Irish. Only when these steps have been implemented, the question of whether Irish should be optional at Leaving Certificate will be considered.

A revised Leaving Certificate curriculum in Irish began in all schools in September 2010 for first examination in 2012. The revised programme provides for an increase in the proportion of marks available for oral assessment to 40%, and is aimed at promoting a significant shift in emphasis towards Irish as a spoken language, where students can communicate and interact in a spontaneous way, and where Irish is spoken every day in schools. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been asked to review this syllabus in the light of the experiences of students in the first examination.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he will put in place to minimise the cost to parents arising from the replacement of the junior certificate programme, particularly parents who have several children at different stages of the second level cycle. [36432/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Syllabus planners are conscious of the need to avoid over-frequent changes to textbooks, primarily in order to minimise increases in the cost burden for parents. School authorities have been advised that books should be changed only to the extent that it is absolutely necessary. In addition, my Department has consistently encouraged schools to put in place book rental schemes as the most effective means of lowering costs for all parents. A number of web-based school book exchange schemes are also in operation.

I have endorsed the thrust of the NCCA's proposals for junior cycle reform. These will be implemented at a pace which the system can sustain. For example, a revised syllabus in English will be implemented as a first step in the process, for students beginning junior cycle in 2014, for first examination in 2017. Groups of 4-5 subjects will be implemented on a phased basis each year after that. The selection of texts and resources is a matter for decision by schools locally. However, the phased implementation of the reforms should mean that the cost of new texts, where they are necessary, is spread over a number of years. In addition, a cap of 8 subjects or equivalent is being placed on the number of subjects which can be taken for examination purposes, to apply on a mandatory basis from the 2017 examination.

In regard to the provision of short courses, developed locally by schools, the intention is that these may be provided on an optional basis by schools from within their existing staffing ratio. There is no intention that this should give rise to additional fees for parents.