Madam, - In response to the letter from professors of four of our universities on the status of the Irish language in Europe (February 18th), I agree that cultural diversity is to be respected and encouraged. However, it does not appear to me that making Irish a working language of the European Union will do anything to increase its use by the ordinary citizens of this country in their everyday lives.
At present Irish has official status within Europe. All primary legislation, treaties and major documents are published in the language. Provision has even been made to hear court cases in Irish. Should it become a working language, all secondary legislation, opinions, the proceedings of the European Parliament and the deliberations of the Commission would be translated into Irish.
It seems there is a double standard working here. We want the institutions of Europe to give Irish full recognition; but, here at home, how many councillors or local authority employees transact their business in the language? In the Dáil, how often do we hear our TDs use anything more than the token "A Cheann Comhairle"? How many MEPs or Irish officials in Brussels would use the Irish form if deliberations and legislation were translated into the language?
This country, according to a website sponsoring a petition to demand working status for the language, has approximately 380,000 people who use Irish regularly. The case of Malta has been put forward to illustrate that Maltese, with a similar number speaking the language, is being given working status. What people neglect to mention is that, in the case of Malta, this figure represents almost the total population of the island, not fewer than one tenth as is the case here. - Yours, etc.,
ANN O'MALLEY,
Monaleen Road,
Castletroy,
Co Limerick.