Speaking about Fine Gael's plans to reform the way Irish is taught, Young Fine Gael (YFG) President, Eric Keane, fully
endorsed the plan to invigorate the Irish language and the manner in which it is taught. "If we do not change the way Irish is taught, the future of Irish is uncertain.
"Fine Gael will change the way Irish is taught in our schools so that Irish people will no longer finish secondary school, having learnt Irish for 13 years, and yet are unable to speak the language. The Fine Gael plan is to place a greater emphasis on the spoken language and not the rote learning that characterises the current system.
"After ten years of the new and improved curriculum, then, and only then, will Irish become optional for the Leaving Certificate. The biggest indictment of the current syllabus is that many people after just 5 years learning a foreign language in secondary school come out of school more fluent in that foreign language than they do in Irish. The Fine Gael plan aims to change that. This is why we as young members of Fine Gael endorse this plan. I would love to be able to speak Irish fluently, but due to the way it is taught, the cúpla focal evade me.
"Enda Kenny and Fine Gael want what is best for the Irish language. Fine Gael's reforms of the curriculum are guided by the determination that Irish should be an active language in our community, where all of our people can speak the language, treasure it and be proud of it"
Sun 19th May, 2013 