Conradh chief’s maths claim doesn’t add up

THE president of Conradh na Gaeilge, Daithí MacCárthaigh, asks “are we to expect Fine Gael to blame compulsion and call for maths to be made an optional extra for the exam in future in light of the disappointing results in the Leaving Cert?” (Irish Examiner Letters, August 18).

Mr MacCárthaigh asked a remarkably similar question some time ago in relation to Fine Gael and the low numbers taking up higher level maths for the Leaving Cert (Irish Examiner letters, June 17).

On that occasion I and others pointed out to him that maths was already an option for Leaving Cert, and that the only subject on the curriculum that was compulsory for the exam was Irish.

One would have expected the president of Conradh to be aware of this.

Now that Mr MacCárthaigh has come back for a second bite of the cherry, I have to ask how many times he has to be told this simple fact before it eventually sinks in?

I suspect, however, that he is well aware of the true situation, and his latest contribution is just another in a long line of attempts by him to misrepresent Fine Gael policy on the Irish language in your letters page.

He is doing his organisation a great disservice by engaging in such petty tactics, and by refusing to debate the issue in a mature manner.

Barry Walsh

Brookfield Hall

Castletroy

Co Limerick