Irish people ‘have worst linguistic skills in Europe’

An EU study has reportedly found that Irish people have poorer linguistic skills than the citizens of any other member state.

Reports this morning said two-thirds of Irish people questioned as part of the research admitted they could only speak English and few believed they should bother learning any other.

The reports said Ireland was currently the only EU country with no provision for teaching modern languages in primary schools.

Meanwhile, a separate study has also reportedly highlighted falling literacy levels among Junior Cert students.

This morning's reports said the assessment put together by some of the examiners of Junior Cert papers had concluded that literacy standards were in decline, particularly the ability to write coherent prose.