Primary and secondary schools need to do more to provide their students with a good knowledge of foreign languages if Ireland is to compete on the international stage.

This is according to a study from the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), which warned a lack of skills in this area could be damaging the country's economy, RTE reports.

Ireland is the only nation in the EU apart from Scotland that does not make teaching a foreign language compulsory for schools, which has led to it having the highest proportion of citizens on the continent unable to speak in a second tongue at 66 per cent.

The RIA is therefore calling for a clear framework for languages education to be put in place, beginning at primary level.

It added resources must be dedicated to the area immediately, as it is no longer adequate to assume that "English is enough".

Earlier this year, a study found just five per cent of Irish college graduates are able to speak two foreign languages, which placed it second from bottom in a list of 25 European countries, the Irish Independent reported.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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