FG plan for Leaving Cert Irish a disgrace
February 24, 2011
I WAS appalled to learn about Fine Gael’s plan to possibly abolish compulsory Irish from the Leaving Certificate curriculum.
I will be sitting my Leaving Certificate examinations next year and believe that Irish is one of the most important subjects I am studying. As a small nation in the European melting pot of nations, the Irish language allows us to retain a unique identity. Enda Kenny, in his desperate bid for Taoiseach (after many years of trying and failing) is obviously now quite happy to take any measures necessary to gain the position he has sought after for so long.
For this misguided party, it’s not about the way you play the game but the end result. Their complete disregard for all the good work and endeavour that has gone into redeeming our national language, from the position it was in after 800 years of British rule, to the position it currently has, is absolutely astounding. It is a disgrace that after all the effort gone into promoting the language and keeping it alive that Mr Kenny is willing to throw it all away.
The abolition of compulsory Irish at Leaving Certificate level will most certainly result in an extreme decrease in the knowledge of the subject and the language as a whole. Perhaps Mr Kenny should seek the opinions of the students themselves before making such a drastic decision.
Eimear Walsh
Schull
Co Cork
Irish Examiner – Litir chuig an Eagarthóir
