Irish speakers have rights

Your Editorial (Mar 13) accepts that 1.8% of us use Irish everyday and 1.7 million of us can speak Irish.

Most of those would speak it more frequently if they were given the opportunity. Yesterday the African driver on my bus home from Dublin city centre, answered me “as Gaeilge”, when I said “Gura maith agat” as I alighted.

Others would use it more frequently if they were not cowed by those who bully and deride them when they want to do business in Irish, particularly with organs of the State whose first official language is Irish! The exaggerated €1bn you claim is spent providing services to those who speak Irish is far less than they are due. The Irish Examiner wants Irish speakers to be deprived of their right and become second class citizens.

Liam Ó hAlmhain

31 Br Teach Mealóg,

Baile Atha Cliath 6W