Sir, – Liam Mac Cóil states that "the vast majority of Irish people, have said in polls, time and time again, that they want Irish preserved as a community language and as an integral part of our cultural and linguistic make-up." (Opinion, March 17th).
What I feel has actually happened is that the vast majority of Irish people respond to polls in this way in an attempt to keep their historical heritage intact, even though many of them can hardly run a sentence together never mind a conversation in Irish. And for this reason, the Government is not inclined to work through Irish.
He suggests that the Government should recruit Irish speakers. Therein lies another problem. As many Irish speakers live outside the greater Dublin area, and with the Government departments mainly in Dublin, young people will find it hard to find and pay for accommodation in the capital.
A lot more has to be done across the whole spectrum of life in Ireland – starting with the actual teaching of the Irish language and getting the young people in every corner of the country engaged and enthralled by their heritage.
Only then will there be a movement significant enough to demand change. – Yours, etc,
VICTORIA MADIGAN,
Terenure,
Dublin 6