I had to do a double-take on the news piece on RTE.ie. Yesterday was April Fool’s day, so this has to be either true or badly timed:
Local authorities have refused to allow members of the public to use addresses in Irish in the new Register of Electors, which is being compiled at the moment.
Come again?
You mean that they’re rewriting the rules to suit themselves again…
This would, I presume, be the same body of people who managed to drop thousands of people from the current register of electors, or maybe they’re just a related group ….
The Report of the Irish language Ombudsman, An Coimisinéir Teanga, has suggested that such a practice undermines the concept of recognising addresses in Irish, or the use of bilingual placenames, signage or road signs.
That’s fairly obvious …
Well done!
While other governments are embracing national cultures ours is doing its best to subdue it!
Newsflash…. Newsflash ….the Irish Government is Anti-Irish”
Well nothing new there now is there?
It could be argued that, since everyone in the country who speaks Irish can also speak English (certainly to the point of being able to give their address in English), allowing people to use Irish addresses in the electoral register would be an enormous waste of public money, and would make it easier for discrepancies to go unnoticed.
Rob
A lot of things could be argued if one was that way inclined, however it does not change the fact that people whose first language is NOT English are being made to feel like second-class citizens.
Michele
Robert, equipping the cabinet with high-powered luxury cars is also an enormous waste of public money – given the state of our roads, and the speed limits, they would get from A-to-B just as quickly in a Nissan Micra or Daewoo Matiz…
The real problem with the Electoral Register is the computer system, or rather, the idiots who “designed” it. I’ve had the misfortune of having to use the database supplied by my own county council, and it sucks.
People should be able to register their address in any language they like, because it isn’t used as a key in the register database, anyway.
As a member of the silent majority with only cupla focal I hold no special place in my heart for Irish. I resent extra marks being given in civil service apptitude tests and the leaving cert for Irish speakers. I resent the money that is spent on it that could be put to better use in the health service (see maslows hierarchy of needs)
Lads there’s no “extra costs” in registering your address in Irish for gods sake, this is just another fantastic feck-up by the greatest shower of idiots ever.
Ambrand dot com, you’ll be delighted to know that no extra points were given to any person showing a proficiency in Irish for any civil service jobs under the FF regime. That was all just a big load of lies.
Beirigí Bua
“…no extra points were given to any person showing a proficiency in Irish for any civil service jobs…” WTF I did an apptitude test in the last 12 months and at the end the Gaelgors stayed behind for an extra test. The consensus among the invigilators and fello English speakers was that extra marks were awarded. As for extra costs on the addresses well yes there are, I see that one does not need to provide a PPS number to join the register! thus John Smith of 123 Big Street, Bally Beg, Co X, could get two votes by also registering at 123 Straid Mor, Baile Beag, Co X, a human would have to read the list and delete duplicates, further as that human would be required to speak Irish he/she as not all addresses would be as simple as my example, such an employee could command a slightly higher wage due to the rarity of their Irish speaking skills.
“I resent extra marks being given in civil service aptitude tests and the leaving cert for Irish speakers.”
The extra marks for doing your leaving cert in Irish is exaggerated.
Everyone thinks that you automatically get 10% extra or something but it’s on a sliding scale and it is proportional. If you get 80% in your exam you get maybe 1% extra, if you’re lucky, but if you get 40% you get 10% extra of your mark, thus giving you 44%.
That’s how it was done when I did my Leaving Cert in Irish back in 2000.
Waste of fecking time.
Cormac, ok, but it doesn’t matter how many extra marks a candidate gets my point is there should be no extra marks. According to the constitution the official languages of Ireland are both Ireland are English and Irish viz both are equal. So why should using Irish allow a user to get extra marks, he should get the same marks, indeed if we take a reality check, and I’m pushing it here to make a point, then English should attract extra marks as it is more useful.
Having just reread the constitution I see that Article 8 [Language] says “The Irish language as the national language is the first official language.
(2) The English language is recognized as a second official language.
(3) Provision may, however, be made by law for the exclusive use of either of the said languages for any one or more official purposes, either throughout the State or in any part thereof.”
(comic book guy voice) I retract my last statement, however I still dislike Irish
Amabrand
That suggests to me that if they want to force people to register using English that legislation would be required.
Michele
Michele said “A lot of things could be argued if one was that way inclined, however it does not change the fact that people whose first language is NOT English are being made to feel like second-class citizens.”
That is political correctness rubbish. People in china where the government does what it wants makes people feel like second class citizens. The majority of people in this country speak english. It’s not cost effective to use a language that will get us as a nation no where.
English is the language of the world. That’s just a fact. I say thank god – we are native speakers, we can travel the world.
Now i have no problem with the irish language. However people like yourself are foolish. Just being petty for the sake of being petty. It’s widely acknowledged by the majority of people that translating english into irish for official documents is a waste of money. Would that money not be better spent on actually teaching the language.
If you want to preserve the language why are u and your irish speaking friends lobbying for that…i think it’s due to the fact that the irish language is becoming a status symbol.
What a pathetic status symbol!
The health service’s problems will not be solved no matter how much money is pumped into it. People live too long anyway. It could be argued that keeping comatose people on life support is a waste of money. Fortunately I won’t argue that point for fear of anger. Money is overvalued. Functionality takes priority over beauty too often. Whats the point in life if there is nothing to celebrate? Irish is beautiful. Some people have no sense of pride,being or culture. Is aoibhinn liom an Ghaeilge agus dar liomsa níl rud ar bith ar domhain atá níos áilinne. How ar we any different from any other English speaking country without Irish. I see little difference between Australia, England and Wales for example. The teaching of Gaeilge needs to be reformed. Ar aigh linn. Tír gan teange…s.r.l
the irish language should be destroyed and all who speak it killed and all who embrace irish culture.God save the Queen