Irish pupils bottom of the Euro class for languages

(Nov 11, 2008)
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/irish-pupils-bottom-of-the-euro-class-for-languages-1532788.html
“Only one in every 28 pupils (3.5pc) is studying a foreign language, compared with one in every two throughout Europe, a confidential report reveals.
...“Two-thirds of Irish people, who took part in a Eurobarometer study, said they did not have the competence to hold a basic conversation in any language other than English or Irish.”