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THE GOVERNMENT HAS shelved a decision on whether to remove the Irish language as a mandatory subject for the Leaving Certificate exams until at least the end of 2012 at the earliest.
The Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, has said that removing Irish as an obligatory subject at Leaving Cert level would not be considered until a review of the new Leaving Cert Irish syllabus has been carried out.
The 20-year strategy on the Irish Language – published by the last government and supported by the current one – includes proposals to implement “a thorough reform of the Irish curriculum and the way Irish is taught at primary and second level”, the minister explained.
A revised Leaving Cert programme has already been introduced as of last September, and the first Leaving Cert students to be examined under that syllabus would sat their exams in 2012.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment will then undertake a full review of the syllabus, including consultations with those students to see how they found the course, and then “take steps to improve the quality and effectiveness” of how Irish is taught.
A decision on whether Irish should be made an optional subject at Leaving Cert level would not be made before then – meaning a decision on whether to drop the Irish requirement would not be made until at least the end of 2012, if not later.
Fine Gael had controversially proposed to remove obligatory Irish in advance of February’s general election – prompting a Valentine’s Day protest outside the party’s Dublin headquarters by Irish students claiming the party was ‘dumping them’.
The statement from Quinn, via a response to a parliamentary question tabled last week, ironically comes on the day that Junior Cert students sit their Irish exams, with the Leaving Certificate Irish papers due for Monday and Tuesday.
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He was an A-H so good riddance to him.
@Con Cussed: Your right in my opinion but if you are a newsperson you should not be biast on air . Even if it’s sometimes almost impossible they have to be professional.
@Con Cussed: I fully agree with you how ever,if you are a news person than you can’t be biast on air but you have to stay professional. How difficult it may be.
@Hans Vos: i disagree. They should present the news in an unbiased manner but can still express their own opinion
@Hans Vos: you have obviously not watched GB news or TalkTv yet,its like watching a 24 hour conservative commercial.
@derek hennessy: all news outlets have gone this way, not just conservative ones.
The face of BBC Gary Lineker every single day social media shows his bias and yet he just gets a slap on wrist and continues to be kept on the air.
The BBC showing the lack of consistency when it comes to there hightest paid presenter across any form.
@Paul Murphy: Ah come on now. Does anybody care that he’s biased towards Leicester City?
More like NorthKorea .com Must be stony faced and only say “The Party & new Dear Leader brings bountiful luxuries for the people of Great country”
It must be very difficult for journalists and newscasters to keep a straight face all the time when confronted by situations and politicians that they know are ludicrous in the extreme.
@Liam Dunne: indeed as sf sue every rumble and tumble money in Dail Eireann.
It’s gone mad over there the lady is right.
Have they ever watched or listened to Nolan on BBC north?????
@M Bowe: Nolan isn’t the state broadcaster though, it’s a Opinion talkshow, impartiality doesn’t have to factor into Nolans show. That’s the difference.
That’s a bit hasty. If you want proper bias look at GB NEWS for any two minutes of the day. It’s bias super charged.
@Ray Dunne: GB News isn’t the National Broadcaster, paid for by everyone (TV licence) in England. That’s why BBC News and their reporters have to be impartial. The news, no matter how you may want it, cannot/should not show bias.
What about all the Corbyn bashers??!! What about the persistent abuse and eventual decimation of the Labour Party by many on the BBC in particular? I hold them at least partly responsible for the UK’s economic mess.
Quick take her off air, how dare she have an opinion.
If a male journalist reacted the same way, would he have been dealt with differently, or at all?
Peter Allis had to apologise for a comment ( if he putts this she can have a new kitchen). The BBC being rediculus.
Another new one for the Times Radio.
have your say