Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for curriculum reform. [17311/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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216. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce legal studies as a leaving certificate subject. [17313/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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217. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment will provide recommendations on changes to the curriculum; and the timeframe for implementation of these changes. [17314/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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218. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce media and communications as a leaving certificate subject. [17315/14]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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219. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the subjects on which the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment have advised curriculum reform during the past four years. [17316/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 216 to 219, inclusive, together.

The focus of my work on curriculum reform spans primary, junior cycle and senior cycle. There are a number of immediate areas of national priority.

At primary the NCCA is currently working on the development of an integrated language curriculum for infants to 2nd class. I expect to receive advice on this in the autumn.

At Junior Cycle I published the Framework for Junior Cycle in October 2012. This document sets out my vision for reform in Junior Cycle. In January this year, having heard the concerns of the partners, I slowed the pace of implementation from that specified in the Framework document. The NCCA is preparing, on a phased basis, specifications in all 21 subjects. English is completed and now the NCCA is concentrating on Science, Business Studies and Irish and will later concentrate on the other subjects. I expect to receive the Junior Cycle Science specification later this year.

At both primary and post primary I have prioritised literacy and numeracy as key skills for all students. Complementing the Literacy and Numeracy strategy has been the recent implementation of new specifications in maths at junior and senior cycle - known as Project Maths.

In addition I have also prioritised Politics and Society as a new Leaving Certificate subject and the NCCA is to provide me with advice on this subject. At senior cycle the NCCA has revised senior cycle specifications in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and these have been sent to me in the last week. In addition, the NCCA is developing new specifications in PE and Applied Mathematics and working on Art, Economics, Agricultural Science and Home Economics among others.

I have no plans to introduce legal studies or media and communications as additional syllabi at senior cycle. However, the new Junior Cycle does give schools the scope to develop short courses. Some short courses will be developed by the NCCA and can be used 'off the shelf' by schools in their junior cycle programme. Schools can also develop their own short courses locally in accordance with guidance provided by the NCCA.

The NCCA's main remit is to advise me on curriculum and assessment in line with Government policy. Since April 2010, the NCCA has advised me on Senior Cycle curriculum reform for Mathematics, Politics and Society, Irish (oral assessment), Biology, Chemistry, Physics and short courses in Enterprise and in Psychology. At Junior Cycle the NCCA published "Towards a Framework for Junior Cycle" (2011). The Council has also provided a specification for Junior Cycle English.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of curriculum advisers he has employed to advise on the issue of curriculum reform; their names and job titles; and if they are employees of his Department or the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment. [17312/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I have employed no additional curriculum advisors. There are a significant number of officials within my Department who advise me on the many and varied aspects of policy development, including curriculum. In addition, my Inspectorate also provides advice on a range of educational issues.

The NCCA, as set out in section 41 (1) (a) and (b) of the Education Act 1998, advises me "on matters relating to the curriculum for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools, and the assessment procedures employed in schools and examinations on subjects which are part of the curriculum".

The NCCA recruits Education Officers with specialist expertise, on a rolling basis, based on the NCCA's plan of work, to develop programmes, subject specifications and other curricular components. The NCCA works through a consultative process which allows an opportunity for all interested parties to share their views.

Therefore the names, job titles and numbers of education officers employed temporarily by the NCCA can vary from year to year depending on the particular curricular reform agenda. A list of the current education officers employed by the NCCA will be forwarded to the Deputy.