Vicious and inaccurate attack on language

YOUR editorial (October 17) attacking the Irish language and policy of Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne was so vicious, inaccurate and bordering on racist with your reference to Finsbury Park mosque that it is difficult to make a full reply.

I would, however, make the following points:

The policy of Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne is to continue to give bilingual education to those major examination students who were already in receipt of this in the two former secondary schools.

The other classes will be taught through Irish, thus phasing in the all-Irish policy as laid down by the Department of Education for all new Gaeltacht secondary schools and agreed to and supported by the parents in general prior to the opening of the new school in September.

Special language assistance is freely available to any student having difficulty with the subject. Your statement that “each passing census records that fewer and fewer people describe themselves as competent Irish speakers” is totally inaccurate.

For the year 1861, the figure given is 1,077,087.

The lowest number of Irish speakers since 1861 was 553,717 in 1911, increasing to 1,656,790 in 2006.

Finally, I would very much doubt that the views expressed in your editorial are representative of those of your readers, the public in general or the democratic process in particular through political party representation in the Oireachtas

— all give their full support to the role of the Irish language in the State and to the special status of Gaeltacht areas.

Feargal Mac Amhlaoibh

PRO

Todhchaí na Gaeltachta

Corca Dhuibhne

Co Chiarraí