Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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244. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which he remains confident that investment in education and the sciences at all levels will continue to be available in the future and having particular regard to the need for excellence in the face of growing competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22679/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The curriculum has to evolve if our schools are to successfully equip young people with the capacity to meet the requirements of a modern, competitive economy. I am confident that the actions being taken by my Department will serve to meet these requirements.

The Action Plan for Education details clear curriculum change and other commitments that will secure the step-change needed to equip learners with the skills necessary to participate in the modern economy and to meet the aim to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in Europe by 2026. It includes:

- actions to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) at primary and post-primary levels;

- actions to increase competence in foreign languages;

- the introduction of a new Leaving Certificate Computer Science subject from September 2018;

- the development of a new Primary Mathematics Curriculum, which will support all children in the development of algorithmic and computational thinking, which form the basis of coding;

- the implementation of the Digital Strategy in schools to enrich the teaching, learning and assessment environment.

The entire thrust of Junior Cycle reform is to enrich the learning experience of pupils with new curricula, new opportunities for project work, team work, short courses, and the new Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement which can showcase this work. This approach puts a higher value on the competencies that employers seek.

As part of the Framework for Junior Cycle a new Science specification was introduced in September 2016, while the new Mathematics specification will be implemented from September 2018. A short course on coding is also in place.

At Senior Cycle a review of the Leaving Certificate and vocational pathways has been commenced by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. At Primary Level a review of structure and time allocation is also under way.