asked the Minister for Education if he will introduce a course on rural science in the national school curriculum.

Rural science constitutes part of the social and environmental studies programme of the new curriculum for national schools and a detailed syllabus adaptable to local conditions is outlined in the programme.

Would the Minister agree that rural science was an ordinary subject in the curriculum of national schools even in his own schooldays? Would he agree that it is a reflection on our progress that it is now being reintroduced again?

The Deputy is correct. Rural science or nature study, as it was sometimes called, was always an optional subject in schools and when the new curriculum replaced the old curriculum there was a whole sector dealing with rural science. This sector is very enlightened. The teachers are trained and encouraged to develop the subject in schools and I know they are doing this.