Minister for Education Ms Mary Hanafin opened a major conference on language teaching and learning in Trinity College Dublin this morning.
Entitled Ceist na dTeangacha i gCóras Oideachas na hÉireann/The Issue of Language in the Irish Education Systemthe conference is being attended by over 100 delegates, including experts from various educational organisations throughout Ireland as well as from Sweden and the Basque country.
The conference will address how the European Council's policy of school leavers being proficient in three languages can be implemented successfully.
The conference, organised by Conradh na Gaeilge, aims to deal not only with Irish but also with the provision for and teaching of foreign languages in Irish schools.
Speaking in Irish, Minister Hanafin told the conference: "The experience of learning any second language is hugely beneficial to students, in that it develops their awareness of how languages work and builds confidence in their own ability to learn other languages."
She said: "Progress has been made in the teaching of Irish but there are challenges to face, such as those highlighted by the Irish Language Commissioner, where despite an appreciable time being devoted to Irish in the school system, many students leave school without achieving a reasonable command of the language."
She added: "The issue of promoting the Irish language is not one that can be advanced by schools alone. Societal attitudes to the Irish language certainly impacts on students desire to learn it. It is important that schools use Irish as a medium of communication and teaching where possible."
The President of Conradh na Gaeilge, Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh, told the conference: "At present Ireland is at the bottom of the European League Table in relation to language teaching and learning.
"It is the aim of Conradh na Gaeilge that Ireland be at the top of that league table and that Irish people be renowned for their facility in languages."