Madam, - Irish-language schooling, according to Sarah Carey (Opinion, December 24th), is not a cultural or linguistic issue, but a way of achieving ethnic and class segregation. People send their children to Gaelscoileanna, she tells us, because "you won't find too many immigrants and local ruffians at the Gaelscoil".
Not a single piece of evidence is produced to support this contention. In fact, it is hard to see any connection between the existence of Irish-language schools and immigration - the vast majority were established before there was any significant immigration into Ireland. And her suggestion that they are a middle-class cocoon is hard to square with the social diversity of their locations in Dublin, as listed on Gaelscoileanna.ie - Ballybrack, two in Ballymun, Clondalkin, Harmonstown, Monkstown, Palmerstown, Raheny, Tallaght, and so on.
In Sarah Carey's world, it seems, you are simply not allowed to want education in Irish because it happens to be your home language, or as a political choice, or because of a belief in the cultural and cognitive richness of bilingualism. No, you should "stop pretending that this is all about the Irish language" and admit that it's really because you're a snob and a xenophobe. Another thing you're not allowed to do is have the temerity to protest at the poor physical condition of a Gaelscoil. No, you should be grateful that your existence outside what she calls "the mainstream" is tolerated.
Sarah Carey finds the Gaelscoil movement "shrill" and "sanctimonious". A writer who can combine so much prejudice with so little fact, and who can use historically-charged words like "apartheid" so glibly, should think twice before imputing these qualities to others. - Yours, etc,
Madam, - Sarah Carey says: "I wish the Gaelscoileanna would learn that lesson before they expect taxpayers to pay for [their choices]".
Are Irish-speaking people not taxpayers, or do they get a special dispensation? Yours, etc,