Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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198. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to incorporate Chinese into the leaving certificate curriculum; the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22201/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There are no plans currently to incorporate Chinese into the Leaving Certificate curriculum. As part of junior cycle reform, schools will be able to include a short course in Chinese language and culture in their junior cycle programme. There is also currently a Transition Year module on Chinese, which was taken by 1,262 students in 2013. Students are currently able to take examinations in non-curricular EU languages.

The Department is currently preparing a consultation policy document on Languages in Education. This document will be issued for consultation later this year. Amongst the topics to be discussed through the consultation will be the possibility of offering examinations in non-curricular non-EU languages, such as Chinese.