National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) held the Chinese Language and Culture Seminar on May 3, 2012 which witnessed the participation of over 200 people, including Ruairi Quinn, Ireland's Education Minister, Ms. Lan Heping, Charge D'Affaires for the Chinese embassy in Ireland, Mr. Peng Zeng'an, Director of the Division of Teaching Materials at Hanban, representatives of teachers and students of middles schools in Ireland, Chinese language teachers at Confucius Institute for Ireland and Confucius Institute at University College Cork in Ireland.

Ireland's Education Minister Ruairi Quinn announced at the Seminar that the NCCA decides to integrate Chinese course as the selective course at middle schools in 2014 and is committed to list Chinese course as a subject of graduation examination as it sees fit.

Charge D'Affaires Ms. Lan Heping noted in her address that China and Ireland have maintained sound relationship since the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1979. The exchange visits of the leaderships of both countries this year have enhanced closer exchanges and cooperation in diverse fields, including education. She hoped more and more Irish students will develop interests in Chinese language and Chinese culture.

Director Peng Zeng'an offered congratulations to the fruitful results achieved by Ireland in Chinese language education on behalf of Hanban and indicated that Hanban will continue to lend its support in this regard.

Thanks to the concerted efforts made by University College Dublin and University College Cork, more than 70 middle schools across Ireland have opened Chinese language courses with nearly 5,000 middle school students learning Chinese. University College Dublin has developed teaching resource kit for transition year students (the first year of senior high school) which adopts latest foreign language teaching philosophy and is suitable for local Chinese teachers after four years of commitment. The NCCA released the kit at the Seminar and many teachers shared their experience in opening Chinese course and using the teaching resource kit. Students shared their experience in learning Chinese language and Chinese culture and information about their trip in China with fluent Chinese, vivid speeches and touching Chinese songs.