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Tue 04 Apr 2010Language gap is latest threat to jobs
Only 8 per cent of Irish secondary pupils learn two or more foreign languages, the European average is 60 per cent. How are we getting it so wrong? asks GRÁINNE FALLER
UNUSUALLY for Morning Irelandthese days, the news was good. It was the beginning of March and managing director of HP Ireland, Martin Murphy, was being interviewed about 60 new jobs created by his company. He explained that the jobs would require candidates to speak at least one of a variety of European languages. “No Irish need apply then,” quipped the interviewer.
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