Conradh chief’s maths claim doesn’t add up

THE president of Conradh na Gaeilge, Daithí MacCárthaigh, asks “are we to expect Fine Gael to blame compulsion and call for maths to be made an optional extra for the exam in future in light of the disappointing results in the Leaving Cert?” (Irish Examiner Letters, August 18).

Mr MacCárthaigh asked a remarkably similar question some time ago in relation to Fine Gael and the low numbers taking up higher level maths for the Leaving Cert (Irish Examiner letters, June 17).

On that occasion I and others pointed out to him that maths was already an option for Leaving Cert, and that the only subject on the curriculum that was compulsory for the exam was Irish.