Exemptions system for study of Irish should be abolished, says Oireachtas committee

An Oireachtas committee has called on the Minister for Education to scrap the system that allows exemptions from the study of Irish. In an 84-page report, published by the joint committee on the Irish language and Gaeltacht on Wednesday, the introduction of a new approach to second-language learning accommodating individual student needs is recommended instead.

“It is clear to the joint committee that the current system of exemptions is not fit for purpose, and is also harming schoolchildren and the education system in Ireland as a whole,” said committee chairman Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh.

The report says students experiencing difficulties with Irish should be allocated additional resources and supports before exemptions are considered.

Only in a small number of exceptional cases (2-3 per cent) should an exemption be granted and they should be reserved for the most vulnerable pupils, those with serious learning difficulties or immigrant students who face significant challenges.

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“The specific needs of these pupils should always be considered first and, from that, differentiated arrangements based on curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment should be agreed to facilitate second language learning for these pupils,” the report says.

The practice of students seeking exemptions from Irish while opting for other languages, like French or German, in the Leaving Cert also raised questions about the rationale behind the current exemption system.

The report recommends that those students receiving an exemption should also be exempted from studying a second language. It states there is “no difference in the cognitive process involved in learning French or German” than the process involved in learning Irish.

In his introduction Mr Ó Snodaigh wrote that “the committee is of the view that if more support was given to Irish by the Department of Education and by the Government itself, that demand for exemptions from the study of Irish as a school subject would not be as high”. He said recent figures show that one student in eight is now receiving an exemption from studying Irish, “which shows the situation is deteriorating”.

Based on evidence that came before the committtee, Mr Ó Snodaigh said the current system “does not align” with academic research on inclusive education or with the methods required to serve children who have specific educational needs.

Instead, he said it denies “a significant percentage of students” access to their linguistic heritage and the cognitive advantages of bilingualism.

Teachers also experience increased pressure due to the lack of Irish language supports and resources, the report found. Some parents seek additional tuition to be provided for those who are exempt from Irish “while the Irish class is taking place”.

The report states, however, that the committee recognised that the issue surrounding exemptions “is not the fault of the parents or the schools”.

“Irish is a language like any other language — it can be learned and it is possible to learn through the language. The failing here is the absence of leadership and support from the State.”

The report was compiled following a series of meetings with stakeholders, education experts, government officials and teacher representatives in September and October 2022, during which the system allowing exemptions from Irish was examined.

It also contains a wide range of recommendations on the status of Irish in the education system.

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