Madam, - One would think from today's front-page article (June 20th) that the Languages Act is a ridiculous waste of money. Indeed, the editorial seems to further reinforce this view.
Now, whilst there may be some merit in not putting money into an annual report As Gaeilge, the Languages Act is overwhelmingly a just and long overdue instrument.
I don't think that anyone out there is foolish enough to believe that An Ghaeilge will become the most widely spoken language on the island but it is the daily language of in excess of 10 per cent of our population (Irish Times figure) and is spoken to greater or lesser degrees by some 1.7 million people according to the last census.
The rights of such people to deal in their own language (also our official first language) with State bodies, Government Departments or indeed large service providers such as Eircom for example, should not be denied.
Up until the advent of the Languages Act and even still, it has been the case that Gaeilgeoirí have not been afforded equal rights and such rights for Irish people and Irish speakers are not a waste of money, quite the contrary. - Yours, etc,
DOMHNALL Ó MUIRÍ, Ros na gCaor, Leamhcán, Co Bhaile Átha Cliath.
Madam, - Apart from banning English on roadsigns, perhaps the Minister for the Gaeltacht might like a few helpful suggestions on restoring the language. Try pouring money into a radio station. If that fails, set up a TV station. Give extra points to schoolchildren who sit their exams through Irish.
Make Irish compulsory for many civil service jobs. Try stifling debate on the Irish language and imply that all those who do not share your viewpoint are somehow less Irish and less human.
Pretend that the English colonisation of Ireland never happened and that tourists somehow find the charm of not knowing what town they are in more than makes up for the confusion of wanting to go to Dingle but never quite being able to find a roadsign.
Put your fingers in your ears and sing la-la-la at the merest suggestion that perhaps Irish is a very difficult language and that Leaving Certificate students should have an option.
Force dyslexic students to take Irish at every level of their school lives. Force primary school teachers qualified in another jurisdiction to sit an Irish exam before we can relieve the pupil/teacher ratio crisis. All of these suggestions are bound to work, otherwise the Minister would look stupid.- Yours, etc,
TOM NEVILLE, Sandymount, Dublin 4.