Given the commitment in the programme for Government to address the evolving educational curriculum, I welcome the announcement yesterday by the Minister for Education and Skills that computer programming and coding will be introduced into the primary school curriculum. Rather than kick this to the NCCA for prolonged consultation, will the Minister, Deputy Bruton, engage with the local education centres countrywide, including the local education centre in Navan which is spearheading this proposal and has already piloted the project, on the possibility of rolling out this change to the September 2016 curriculum because my fear is that the technology will move faster than the NCCA report?

I am open to looking at any initiative that could be piloted. When one is talking about introducing it on a broad basis, one is talking not only about a pilot but introducing the teaching support and designing the curriculum so an element of time is essential to make sure it works in a proper way. The notion of piloting something in the short run would certainly be of interest and I would be happy to talk to the Deputy.