Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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330. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29471/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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he Primary Curriculum Framework supports the development of a primary curriculum which builds on the successes and strengths of previous curricula while recognising and responding to challenges, changing needs and priorities. This approach provides agency and flexibility in schools enabling school leaders and teachers to identify and respond to priorities and emerging priorities for children’s learning. The process of developing the Primary Curriculum Framework for all primary and special schools engaged stakeholders from across the system. It was developed through four interconnected areas of activity including:

1. Research: contemporary national and international research located on the NCCA website and the longitudinal study.
2. Networks: consisting of 57 schools to tease out ideas from research, bringing their school experiences to discussions.
3. Deliberations: close work with the education partners and with wider stakeholders
4. Consultation: findings from the extensive consultation on the

• 45 minutes a week in stage 1 (This is an additional 15mins in comparison to the original time allocations pre-Literacy and Numeracy Strategy)
• 15 minutes a week in stage 2 (This is an additional 45mins in comparison to the original time allocations pre-Literacy and Numeracy Strategy)
• 60 minutes a week in stages 3 and 4 (A reduction of 15mins in comparison to the original time allocations pre-Literacy and Numeracy Strategy)

• The language of instruction is used across all the curriculum, for all subjects, so the learning of the language of instruction is not just during the language lesson.
• The Primary Curriculum Framework provides an increase of the weekly time allocation for Wellbeing (PE and SPHE) from 1.5 hours to 3 hours from 1^st – 6^th class. It also provides an hour per week for the introduction of foreign languages from third class upwards, which gained strong support during consultations with children, parents, teachers and school leaders and the wider public. To make these changes, all other areas of the curriculum relinquished some time.
• The Primary Curriculum Framework presents time allocations in two categories: Minimum Curriculum Time (weekly and monthly) and Flexible Time (monthly). These are intended to be used flexibly, in order to embrace integrative learning, avail of unexpected learning opportunities, pace learning in response to children’s needs, and support immersive and engaging learning experiences.
• The reduction in Language 1 considers the children’s experience of the two free preschool years as part of the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme. Recent figures indicate that approximately 97% of children avail of this programme and benefit from their language learning experiences through Aistear– the Early Childhood Curriculum Framework .
• In Irish-medium schools, Irish is the medium through which the entire curriculum is accessed, apart from the English language curriculum. In order to support the acquisition of Irish the introduction of formal English learning can be delayed until first class, supporting a strong foundation in the language.
• The Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile (PLC/CTB) (2019) is an integrated language curriculum, which draws on contemporary research and supports the transfer of skill from one language to the next through its shared structure and supportive approaches to teaching and learning. The PLC/CTB is founded upon a substantial research base all of which can be accessed here:

• extra weekly allocation at school level for Irish for a term/school year as teachers prepare appropriate, rich learning experiences and respond to the learning needs of their children
• extended periods of in-depth learning in aspects of their learning in Irish (Seachtain na Gaeilge, teanga ó bhéal, poetry, story, place names)
• whole-school activities or participation in local, regional, and national initiatives and events relating to Irish (dramas, story-telling, competitions, links with scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge, visits from Irish speakers, Irish music and song, Cúla 4, Foghlaim TG4) using particular pedagogical approaches that benefit from extended periods of time (CLIL- where teachers teach another curricular area in Irish over a period of time).