FG's Irish language policy 'retrograde', says FF

Fianna Fáil has hit out at Enda Kenny's proposal to abolish compulsory Irish, calling his measures "retrograde".

Former Education Minister Mary Hanafin and Minister for Gaeltacht Affairs Pat Carey have promised to improve the standard of Irish being taught in schools and would retain the language as a core part of the Leaving Certificate.

At the launch of the party's strategy on improving the prevalence of Irish, Pat Carey also commented on the fact that Enda Kenny will accept a lump sum of €100,000 as a pension payment for his four-year period as a teacher in the 1970s.