Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 25: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to the recent National Council for Curriculum and Assessment research reports on proposals for a new language curriculum at primary level; if he intends to introduce an integrated language curriculum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30941/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The NCCA is currently in the process of developing a new language curriculum for primary schools in the context of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The three research reports, which I launched on 29th. May, were commissioned by the NCCA to support this process. One of the recently published reports, by Dr. Pádraig Ó Duibhir and Professor Jim Cummins, focuses specifically on the development of an integrated language curriculum at primary level. Their report recommends moving towards a language curriculum where children are encouraged to transfer skills acquired in one language to other languages. It also suggests that existing tools such as the Council of Europe's Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and its companion, the European Language Portfolio, could be utilised as the basis for developing the new integrated language framework.

I welcome the publication of the three reports. They provide valuable research and analysis that will help to inform the NCCA, and officials in my Department, in their work towards developing the new language curriculum at primary level. They will also support the implementation of other commitments in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.