1121 Deputy Mary Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans in relation to the oral part of the Irish exam in both junior and leaving certificate; if the oral exam at junior certificate level is 20% of the overall marks and at leaving certificate level is 25% of the total marks; his further plans to increase both to 40 from 2012 in the case of the leaving certificate and from 2010 in the case of junior certificate; the guidelines the State Examinations Commission have issued to schools on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38585/09]

In March 2007 the then Minister for Education and Science announced changes in relation to the proportion of marks awarded for oral Irish in the Junior and Leaving Certificate examinations with effect from 2010 and 2012 respectively. These changes are set out in circular letter 0042/2007 which issued to schools in 2007.

The marks for the oral examination at Higher and Ordinary levels in the Leaving Certificate examination will be increased from 25% to 40%. Marks for the aural will be reduced to 10% at both Higher and Ordinary levels, and 50% of the overall marks will be awarded for the written papers. At Foundation level in the Leaving Certificate examination, the marks for oral Irish will be increased from 25% to 40%. Marks for the aural will be reduced from 30% to 20%, and the written paper will attract 40% of the marks. In the case of the Leaving Certificate Applied, the marks for oral Irish will be increased from 33% to 40%, marks for the aural will be reduced from 30% to 25%, and 35% of the overall marks will be awarded for the written paper. Where students take the oral examination in the first year of their senior cycle programme, the changed marking arrangements will come into effect in 2011.

The changes will also apply to the Junior Certificate where the oral Irish examination will continue to be a school-based optional examination. In the case of the Junior Certificate oral, the marks will be doubled from 20% to 40%. Marks for the aural will be reduced to 10%, and 50% of the marks will be awarded for the written paper(s). Where no oral examination is held, marks are awarded on the basis of the written paper(s) and aural only.

The State Examinations Commission has issued details to schools setting out the format of the Junior Certificate Examination from 2010 in Circular S73/09, a copy of which is on the Commission's website at www.examinations.ie. The intention of the increase in marks for oral assessment is to promote a significant shift in emphasis towards Irish as a spoken language, where students can communicate and interact in a spontaneous way, and where Irish is spoken every day in schools.