Compulsory Irish only encourages rejection

COUNCILLOR John Brady is completely disingenuous in his assertion that Enda Kenny is seeking to abolish Irish from the school curriculum (Irish Examiner letters, June 27).

If Cllr Brady had checked the facts, he would realise that the FG proposal is to end the compulsion to take Irish for the Leaving Cert — a far cry from abolition.

He might also note that Irish is the only subject students are compelled to take for Leaving Cert Maths and English are not compulsory subjects as he erroneously suggests.

The public continues to cry about the format of the Leaving Cert, yet when a proposal is made to introduce a more flexible approach to the subjects required of students, there is uproar.

It has been shown for generations that compelling young people to do certain things encourages rejection and rebellion. Studying Irish, or any subject for that matter, should be about more than a grade in the Leaving Cert, but that is increasingly where our education system is heading.

Enda Kenny’s willingness to embrace change should be welcomed. If everyone had been as willing to question our education system in the past, maybe we wouldn’t have allowed children to be abused in despicable institutions while condoning the use of corporal punishment in the classroom.

Brendan Coffey

3 College Green

Maynooth

Co Kildare