Sir, - Eoin Daly (August 25th) made the fair point that "according to the Department of Education, my efforts in maths, science etc, are inferior because they are expressed using my native language." This was then criticised by E.J. Tierney (August 30th), citing Bunreacht na h╔ireann as the authority on what Mr Daly's native language is.
But the Constitution has as much authority to specify the native language of the citizens of this State as it has to specify our favourite ice cream, and to be fair to the author of the Constitution, I don't think it seeks to. What it can and does do is determine the official languages, a separate matter.
Mr Tierney then compares the bonus marks given when a student answers a paper through Irish to the bonus points awarded for honours maths. The latter, so far as I am aware, are awarded only to a student applying for a third-level course in which mathematical ability is crucial. Besides, if Irish is our native language, surely it is absurd to give bonus marks for using it. - Yours, etc.,
Shane O'Rourke, Wellington Court, St Patrick's Place, Cork.