Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact the new Junior Certificate cycle will have on the take up of history at Junior Certificate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46282/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact the new Junior Certificate cycle will have on the take up of geography at Junior Certificate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46283/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact the new Junior Certificate cycle will have on the take up of foreign languages at Junior Certificate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46284/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact the new Junior Certificate cycle will have on the take up of science at Junior Certificate level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46285/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 to 264, inclusive, together.

In the new Junior Cycle all students will be expected to achieve 24 statements of learning over the period of their Junior Cycle. These include valuing local and national heritage and understanding the importance of the relationship between past and current event and the forces that drive change, understanding the origins and impacts of social, economic and environmental aspects of the world around him/her, listening, speaking, reading and writing in a foreign language at a level of proficiency that is appropriate to the student's ability and observing and evaluating empirical events and processes and drawing valid deductions and conclusions. It is clear therefore that geographical and historical awareness skills, modern languages and scientific skills will be necessary to achieve the required outcomes. Overall, I am in favour of leaving the decisions on what is offered at the discretion of the school, and of students having as broad a range of options to choose from as possible.