Kenny outlines plan to see Irish language flourish
Dropping the compulsory teaching of Irish will do for the native language what Riverdance did for Irish dancing, it was claimed today.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny today reiterated his call for Junior Cert students to be given a choice to study the “75-year-old sacred cow” subject so that it will flourish among those who enjoy it.
He told the Dáil that most young people leave school without any reasonable command of it and few attempt Higher Level exams.
Only 70,000 people in the last Census said they used Irish on a daily basis, he claimed.
He asked Taoiseach Bertie Ahern during Leaders’ Questions if the compulsory nature genuinely helps students who want to learn the language.
“This House should do what Riverdance has done for Irish dancing,” Mr Kenny said.
“If you teach it properly and use skilful teachers and innovative modern methods, students at Junior Cert level will really want to do the language because they enjoy it and not be tied up in the details of complicated grammar.
“Students aged 16 years of age can join the Defence Forces, get married and drive a moped but are still told to sit in a classroom and learn a language,” he added.
“It’s not just a question of clinging to a 75-year-old sacred cow that is not going to deliver. This is about looking at 2005 and beyond at a language that should be taught in a vibrant and energetic way for our country.
“I believe we should offer them that choice at Junior Cert level,” the former teacher explained.
Mr Ahern said there has been a long term concern about the future of the Irish language by every government since the foundation of the state.
He said the current Government had generously supported and resourced the tongue through teacher training colleges, summer colleges, TG4 station and gaelscoileanna.
He noted that it was feared that students that are not in gaelscoileanna will abandon it.
“The limited amount of Irish which the majority of the population have will be more limited. That is the argument,” he said.
“If you take it away from schools, would it not be worse in 10 years’ time?
Mr Kenny first made his call for the compulsory teaching to be dropped on the eve of his party’s national conference in Co Cork last weekend.
He reiterated today that Irish citizens now lived within a multi-cultural society where several languages are being taught but Irish is the only compulsory subject among 34 currently being studied for the second level school curriculum.
The Welsh language isn’t compulsory in Wales, he noted.
Mr Ahern pointed out that Irish was the only compulsory language among the 34 second level subjects because it is the only native one.
He added: “I certainly agree that the complicated grammar in schools does more to put people off. If there was more emphasis on spoken language then we would all be better off. I’d certainly be better because the grammar was complex.”
