Irish lag behind Europeans in language skills

Fewer Irish people can speak a foreign language than in most European countries, as the Government stops teaching languages to 27,500 primary pupils.

The modern languages in primary schools initiative is being closed down to facilitate teacher training to improve general literacy and numeracy. It started as a pilot scheme and teaches French, Spanish, German, and Italian to 27,500 pupils a year at 545 schools.

A European Commission report shows that only in Britain, Portugal, Italy, and Hungary can fewer adults hold a conversation in an additional language.