Sir, – The concerns of the Institute of Geologists of Ireland expressed by Deirdre Lewis (August 3rd) are equally shared by Earth Science Ireland, an independent body of geologists who originally came together when earth science education in Northern Ireland was damaged by the closure of Queen’s University geology department and reductions in A-level teaching of geology in Northern Ireland.
Geography teachers provide an integrated way of looking at the world that includes the most multi-disciplinary science of all – earth science – that should be compulsory for all students as a means of understanding the world they will have to live and work in. We have only recently become aware that geography appears to be targeted for elimination from the Junior Certificate in planned “reforms”. This would be a deplorable, retrograde step, one we hope Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn will not take. – Yours, etc,