Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together.

aims to increase and diversify the range of languages taught and learned. An interim progress report was published in March 2024. One achievement under the strategy was the introduction from September 2020 of four new leaving certificate curricular languages – Mandarin Chinese, Lithuanian, Polish and Portuguese. These new languages were examined for the first time in summer 2022.

In addition to curricular languages, non-curricular EU languages are available for Leaving Certificate examination in accordance with Article 149 of the Treaty of Nice. The model for the non-curricular language examination papers is based on the First Foreign Language final written paper of the European Baccalaureate. Given the unique current circumstances, Ukrainian will be added as a non-curricular language for Leaving Certificate examination from Summer 2025.

It takes time to embed new languages, to build student demand and to upskill teachers to teach the languages. Factors which I would take into account in introducing any new subject would include:

• anticipated level of interest and demand and the need to reflect the range of student interests and develop a wider range of talents and skills
• capacity of the NCCA to develop new subject curricula in addition to the redevelopment of existing curricula
• in this case, the extensive range of language subjects already provided on both a curricular and non-curricular basis at Senior Cycle level (in addition to Irish and English, 14 curricular languages and 15 non-curricular languages, representing 34% of all curricular subjects and 52% of examinable subjects overall)

With the above in mind, in March 2022, I announced the introduction of two new Leaving Certificate subjects, Drama, Film and Theatre Studies (DFTS), and Climate Action and Sustainable Development (CASD) as part of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment programme. These subjects are currently being developed by the NCCA for introduction in schools on a phased basis from 2025. The curricula for all existing Leaving Certificate subjects and modules, across all three programmes, will also be revised with updated curricula to be introduced in annual tranches from 2025. A total of five annual tranches are planned with teaching and learning commencing in the fifth tranche in 2029. As such, there is currently no plan to introduce Korean (or any other new language subject) as a curricular subject in Senior Cycle.

I wish to assure the Deputy however that I have taken a number of steps to support the Korean language.

• A Korean language unit for Transition Year was introduced for the first time from September 2018. In 2023-24 the Korean TY module was delivered in 7 schools in Dublin with 447 students taking part, delivered by a Korean Development Officer deployed to these schools by Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI). Teacher availability continues to limit opportunities to expand this popular TY module.
• PPLI, which is fully funded by my Department, works with the Korean Embassy to promote Korean language and culture in post-primary schools and beyond. Other than language teaching, PPLI’s Korean Development Officer also delivered workshops about Korean traditional and modern fashion (e.g., Hanbok and modern clothing), calligraphy and artwork (e.g., masks for traditional dancing, paper Hanbok and lantern), food culture (e.g., Korean cuisine and making) and invited guest speakers (e.g., Korean ambassador, Irish veteran of Korean War) to enrich the TY Korean module.
• PPLI and the European Commission Representation in Ireland have hosted joint events to celebrate Culture Night and the European Day of Languages since 2019. Free language taster classes are offered to members of the general public. Korean has been one of the featured languages in the past few years and the Korean classes were delivered by the PPLI Korean Development Officer.
• There are a range of Korean resources for all levels available on the PPLI website here:
• A toolkit for acquiring foreign language books was developed as a collaboration between PPLI, Dublin City Libraries and Cabra Library and is now available to library branches nationwide. A foreign language category was introduced in the MS Readathon. A School Library Home Languages Funding Scheme facilitated by PPLI has provided 1385 schools (937 primary and 448 post-primary) with reimbursement for acquired materials in 80 different languages. Over 800 book titles in 27 languages have been provided to the JCSP Digital Library and in 2022 there were 2,691 loans. It would be open to students to select Korean books.
• Modern Foreign Languages will be introduced to the Primary Language Curriculum from September 2025 from 3^rdto 6^th class and it is hoped this will help build greater interest in language acquisition resulting in even more diversity in language curricula becoming available in the long term.