CONOR KEANE,
A chara, - I notice there has been quite a stir in the media of recent days concerning the Irish language. It began with the GMIT report on the amount of Irish spoken (or not spoken) in the Gaeltacht areas. The findings revealed what many of us suspected already - a dramatic decline.
So what can the State do to support our Irish speakers? The findings of the Gaeltacht report reveal the extent of waste of resources placed in regional areas where Irish is in rapid decline. Yet we have so many families outside these areas willing to make the effort to keep the language alive and save it from disappearing, who get little or no support.
The future of the Irish language is not to be found in the present Gaeltacht areas. It is in the homes of young families where the parents are willing to make the effort to keep the language alive, wherever they might be. We need new criteria as to what defines a Gaeltacht area which is not based on the redundant, romantic and rural one we have at present.
We need to identify those people who genuinely want to use the language and support them through the provision of educational resources and other facilities in the community. - Is mise,
CONOR KEANE, Chill Mháille, Co an Chláir.