Fine Gael Leaving Cert policy puts the future of Irish at risk
All available evidence points to the failure of such a policy. In England, when languages were made optional at General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) level, the amount of pupils undertaking language subjects dropped dramatically from 78% in 2001 to 44% in 2009.
In fact there would have been a much larger decline except for the fact that many private schools chose to continue with their policy of mandatory language study.
When the Fine Gael coalition government scrapped the Irish language requirement for the Civil Service in 1974, their rhetoric was very similar to that used by the party today in recommending making Irish an optional subject in the Leaving Certificate: “The government is fully confident that this policy change, which promotes encouragement instead of compulsion, will result in increased goodwill towards the Irish language and will help to widen language use inside and outside the Civil Service.” (Minister Richie Ryan, December 1974).
However, the practical results were a rapid decline in the ability of civil servants to provide services through the medium of Irish to the extent that in the Department of Education today, only 1.5% of civil servants can do so.
Conor Cruise O’Brien, a minister in the same government, subsequently expressed regret at this decision: “...I would say that without a doubt Irish was reduced in status. Therefore, in retrospect, I do not believe we did the right thing. And I am very sorry about it” (24 Aug 1984).
We believe that this policy change, if implemented, will have similarly serious consequences.
We recognise in tandem with Fine Gael that there are problems with the teaching and learning of the Irish language in our schools. These problems must be addressed without delay.
We recommend implementing the measures contained in the recently published 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language which has cross-party approval.
Some examples are:
* The gradual introduction of the teaching of another subject through the medium of Irish at primary school level (for example, drama, PE, or Art).
* The improvement of teacher training including the extension of their time spent in the Gaeltacht and the provision of similar supports to existing teachers.
We believe that positive measures like the above will be of great benefit to the language instead of the current Fine Gael policy which endangers the very future of the language.
Pádraig Mac Fhearghusa
President of Conradh na Gaeilge
Dublin 2
Éamonn Mac Niallais
Guth na Gaeltachta
Co Donegal
This letter was written on behalf of the community and national organisations that met on January 21, 2011 in the Menlo Park Hotel, Galway.
